Be Still My Unbeating Heart

by Josh Winning

A cozy vampire vacation mystery set in a seaside Italian village, featuring a reformed vampire, his magical talking cat, and a handsome, brooding detective.

Bastian may be a vampire, but he doesn’t bite.  

. . . Not anymore, at least. 

These days, Bastian just wants to live his best undead visit charming Italian villages, maybe dance in the square with a cute boy, all with Whitby, his best friend (and magical talking cat) by his side. What he doesn’t want? To stumble across a dead body on the beach, a girl who appears to have been killed by a vampire.  

It wasn’t Bastian. He swears—on his own grave. 

But the local police chief doesn’t trust Bastian, or any vampire, for that matter, so he assigns detective Nico De Luca to keep an eye on him until his trial. And while Bastian normally wouldn’t complain about having a gorgeous, mysterious man by his side, he has more important things to worry about, because the police chief has called the Vampire Council, and if the real killer is still at large when they arrive, the whole town could be in danger. As more bodies begin to pile up, Bastian, Whitby, and De Luca must get to the bottom of who in Vernazza is framing vampires, before it’s too late. 

Charming, twisty, and laugh-out-loud funny, Be Still My Unbeating Heart by Josh Winning is a delightful romp through a swoon-worthy magical murder mystery.

Genres: Romance, Vampires, Fantasy, Mystery, Paranormal, LGBT, Queer

332 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 17, 2026

About the author

Josh Winning is a Bram Stoker long-listed author who writes popcorn fantasy and horror novels full of heart, hope and queer joy. His summer-camp slasher novel Heads Will Roll was one of the top ten bestsellers in the UK last year. His previous book Burn the Negative was named a Goodreads Biggest Horror Book for Summer 2023, and his debut The Shadow Glass was a Waterstones paperback of the year in 2022.

As a film journalist for Radio Times and Total Film, Josh has interviewed the likes of Miss Piggy and Goldie Hawn, and he is co-host of the Charmed Chat podcast. His other books include queer romantic murder mystery Be Still My Unbeating Heart and spooky children’s adventure How to Train Your Zombie. Josh lives in East Anglia with his partner and their talking cat Penny.

Reviews

[Josh Winning · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm really, really proud of this book. I'm giving it 5 stars because it brought me a lot of joy, and I hope it does the same for you.

[MagretFume · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a great time! It's cozy, it's funny, and it's a great balance of murder mystery and romance, set in a cute Italian small town. 

The characters are colourful, and what's not to love about a vegetarian vampire and his talking cat? 

It felt like a vacation. 

Thank you Putnam for this ARC!

[Mimi · Rating 3 out of 5]

how do I explain that this entire book kinda felt like when Captain Holt praised oatmeal as an analogy for love in Brooklyn 99 without sounding like I've lost my damn mind 🫠 like. it was good? but it was a tad bland? and there was potential? but it always just fell a tad short of reaching it? love Whitby though, talking cats for the win 👌

[gracie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Exactly as advertised, just a bit bland. I feel those are the worst kind of books, the ones that aren't bad but aren't good either. Love, love, LOVED whitby though!!! The cat was definitely the highlight of the entire book.

Thank you Netgalley and Putnam for the arc in exchange for an honest review

[Alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was fun and cute

I enjoyed this audiobook! It was a fun listen. It was funny, great murder mystery, with vampires and a dash of romance. The romance was cute and sweet with very little spice. I actually didnt guess the ending. I had fun trying to figure who the killer was. Definitely recommended if you need a fun murder mystery with queer joy and vampires!! It honestly was such a cute book. I have to say I love Bastian the vampire he’s so adorable.

[labibliofille · Rating 5 out of 5]

Be Still My Unbeating Heart was such a fun time!

There's mystery, intrigue, twists and turns, vampires, a talking cat, a witch, a pesky/nosy wise woman, a town-neusance fortuneteller, small-town politics, a sumer vacation, and so much more wrapped up in these pages. The character development is prestine, the way the plot unfolded was divine, and I cannot scream enough about Bastian and Nico. I'm OBSESSED, your honor!

If you're looking for a paranormal mm romance summer beach read, this is your book! It will not disappoint!

[Esmay Rosalyne · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars

Okay, so I genuinely don’t know how I have been sleeping on Josh Winning’s books up to this point because if Be Still My Unbeating Heart is anything to go by, I have just found myself a new favourite author. This queer paranormal murder mystery romance mash-up is exactly the kind of ridiculous, cosy, emotionally devastating nonsense I didn't know I needed in my life, and I wasn’t even halfway through before it had completely charmed my cold dead heart.

Now, I always love it when a book is love at first page, and that is exactly what happened here in Be Still My Unbeating Heart because the first line is literally a cat talking. And not just any cat, but Whitby, the magical talking best friend of our wonderfully flamboyant vampire Bastian, who is dead-set on living his best wholesome vegetarian vampire life in quaint Italian villages. Unfortunately for him, this plan quickly goes to hell when he stumbles across a dead body and becomes the prime suspect in a murder that appears to have been committed by a vampire. So now Bastian needs to prove his innocence under the watchful eye of the broody Inspector De Luca, who also happens to be extremely hot and handsome, but that is obviously irrelevant because we have a murder mystery to solve, okay?!

Honestly, I adored how completely Winning embraced the campy, silly and dramatic vibes of this story without ever sacrificing the emotional weight at the heart of it all. Beneath all the chaos, there is so much heart and hurt here, and even though these characters can initially seem like larger-than-life caricatures, there is truly so much human messiness to all of them. Bastian maybe surprised me most of all because at first he comes across as just a flirty, flamboyant little babe, but there is some very real trauma hiding underneath all his devilish charm, and I loved that hidden depth. Especially the revelations about how Whitby became his emotional support cat (except the cat is arguably the one who needs the emotional support) truly tugged on all my heartstrings, and I am not exaggerating when I say their bond is one of the best animal companion relationships I have ever read.

Even though I adored being in Bastian's head (especially in the way that the audiobook narrator George Weightman captured his witty voice, what a performance), I do have to admit that I would maybe have enjoyed Be Still My Unbeating Heart even more if it had been dual POV. See, for a while I wasn’t entirely convinced the grumpy/sunshine romance was going to hit me the way I wanted it to because it took me a bit longer than expected to really warm up to Nico, but at the same time I do have to admit that I was totally eating my words by the end. There is so much turmoil hiding behind Nico’s stoic exterior, and once I realised there was actually an adorable dork underneath that whole brooding detective routine, I fell just as hard for him as Bastian did. The trauma bonding and healing happening between these two small town boys (iykyk) really got to me, and I loved the way Winning explored themes of otherness, addiction, grief, and redemption through both a human and vampire lens. For all their differences, they are not as different as they think, and I loved that for them.

And you know what, I actually ended up really appreciating how slow-burn the romance is, because it gave all the other incredible aspects of Be Still My Unbeating Heart so much room to breathe. The rich Italian setting had me completely transported, there is so much fun vampire history and lore to sink your teeth into, and I was genuinely surprised by how cleverly plotted the murder mystery turned out to be. The emotional stakes got way higher than I had anticipated because Winning wove every aspect of the story so beautifully together that you can’t help but get dangerously invested in it all, and even though the ending felt a bit rushed, I still loved how it all unraveled in such a bittersweet, heartfelt, and ridiculously wholesome way.

Be Still My Unbeating Heart absolutely lives up to its drop-dead gorgeous cover but it is also so much more than the fun cosy vampire romp I thought it was going to be, and the little hints about the next adventure(s) of Bastian, Nico, and Whitby have me desperately hoping that we will see more of them someday because I honestly can't get enough of them. Despite the summery Italian setting, this somehow feels like the perfect queer cosy autumn read, so I can't recommend this enough if you are ready for a quirky queer addition to the spooky season TBR.

[Rachel Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

When a reformed vampire stumbles across a dead body while holidaying with his familiar cat sidekick, things don’t exactly look great for him. To clear his name, Bastian has to team up with De Luca, the handsome local detective, to track down the real killer. But with the ruthless Vampire Council on their way to deliver their own brand of justice, it becomes a race against time to clear Bastian’s name and find the true murderer before their victim count grows. As Bastian and De Luca get closer to the truth they also grow closer to each other, although Bastian soon discovers the murderer is not the only one keeping secrets…

Be Still My Beating Heart is an entertaining paranormal rom-com that balances lightness and fun with threads of genuine emotion and tension. It gave me strong Death in Paradise vibes, slightly ridiculous in the best way, but also engaging and oddly comforting!

It’s an easy read with loveable characters that kept me guessing until the end. The mystery has enough peril and drama to keep things interesting while still delivering a cosy atmosphere and satisfying conclusion.

All in all a fun, enjoyable read, perfect if you’re in the mood for something lighter!

Thank you to Penguin Random House and NetGalley for the arc.

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was exactly the book I was hoping for and more! I love a silly whodunnit, throw in vampires, some romantic tension and a talking cat and you’ve got a spectacularly good time!!

This was seriously so much fun though and I am really hoping for some possible sequel shenanigans??

Bastian gave big Lestat energy which I loved. The lore, the backstories all the twists were so good ! This was the perfect cosy mystery with just the right amount of bite.

[Dash fan · Rating 4 out of 5]

4☆  A Quirky, Fun Vampire murder mystery!

One of my favourite reads is with vampires. Be still my unbeating heart was such a fun, quirky vampire mystery, I thoroughly enjoyed it. It's different from anything I've read with vampires.

Bastian is a vampire on holiday, with Whitby he's familiar with who happens to be a cat! But things are about to become anything but relaxing, when bodies are mounting up and Bastian is at the centre of blame!

However, he's a vamp who only drinks animal blood. He sets off to prove his innocence. Alongside the very brooding and handsome Inspector De Luca. Who is just as keen to find the killer.
But can he prove his innocence, or is there sabotage at play!

This book just kept on giving!  With Twists aplenty. It certainly kept me on my toes!
I was rooting for De Luca and Bastian 🫶🏻 the whole way through.
I can't forget to mention Whitby, what a feline supawstar 😻

Be still my unbeating heart is a vampire murder mystery, with quirky characters, plenty of witty humour, and a budding love story.
I really hope there is a second book, as i have a soft spot for Bastian and Whitby, and i need more from this dynamic duo... or should I say trio!?


A big thank you to Michael Joseph and Netgalley for this copy, which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

[Lexi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A queer vampire cozy mystery romance set in Italy with a talking cat sidekick? Hell yeah! This was just such a fun, silly, swoony, and heartfelt romance with the added intrigue of vampire politics and solving some murders. I loved Bastian as the main character and getting to learn more about his backstory of when he became a vampire and how he stopped drinking human blood. His magical talking cat Whitby was an endless source of amusement throughout the book.

Inspector Nico De Luca was a great love interest. It was really engaging getting to see his evolution from thinking that Bastian is the killer to trying to protect him. There are so many lovely moments of Bastian and De Luca sharing their histories and struggles with growing up in small towns and yearning for more.

I hope that Josh Winning will write more books like this one in addition to his horror/thriller books. I'd definitely recommend this for people who are interested in a queer paranormal romance/mystery. I feel like it strikes a nice balance of there being real stakes in the plot so it's not a cozy mystery devoid of substance, but it's also not too dark or heavy that it brings down the silly, fun atmosphere of the book.

Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[Drew H · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this delightful! Bastian and Whitby were a wonderful duo, the growth arc of De Luca was super sweet, and I thought the mystery was really well thought out. This book has a lot of interesting ideas about the lore of vampires, some of which I was easily able to roll into what I've known for 30 years, and some of it a bit more fast and loose. It must be an Italy thing that olive oil was so heavily involved in like every step of this book. I really was impressed with the big reveals at the end, it managed pulling some really disparate pieces together in a way that was very smooth. I could've done with maybe 1-2 fewer red herrings in favor of building up a little more of the relationship between Bastian and De Luca, but I'm a romance girlie first and foremost, so that tracks.

Thank you to Netgalley for an eARC of this title, this is my honest review.

[Evangeline Munster · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and it did not disappoint. Having loved Heads Will Roll by Josh Winning and then hearing about him writing a "cozy vampire vacation mystery" I was SOLD! Josh Winning seems to excel in whatever genre/theme he puts his mind to and I think that's a real challenge to do!

Bastian was our campy vampy lead and you can't help but instantly fall in love with him. But when on his holibobs he's accused of having more than a lil nibble and murdering someone despite the fact he doesn't indulge in human blood these days. From here he attempts to join forces with the hot poliziotto De Luca to clear his name, also with the help of his bestie Whitby (the Salem to his Sabrina).

This was beautifully written and I fell so in love with the characters that I actually think they've etched a permanent place in my heart. What more could I ask for than a murder mystery, a hot romance and a bloodsucking good time.

[Brinley · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wish i could say i enjoyed this, but I did not :( normally i love me some silly gay vampires but this was too silly, even for me. I found myself annoyed instead of endeared. This never took itself seriously, at any point, and although ill allow my books to be silly, i do need them to eventually say something more than just "haha funny". So yeah, not my vibe, im glad to be done with this.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review

[Johanna Van]

I blurbed this one!

"Be Still My Unbeating Heart is a heartwarming delight in which every page is infused with queer joy. If there is one cosy mystery you pick up this year, make it this one!"

[Katie May · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 rounded up!

Sometimes books are 5 stars because they’re masterpieces and sometimes they’re 5 stars for enjoyment and vibes; and both are valid. I had a great time with this.

This was light and quirky in all the best ways. Vacationing vampire Bastion and his black cat familiar Whitby are blamed for a string of vampire related murders in a small Italian town. The murder mystery is really in the front seat of this as Bastion and Whitby team up with arresting (and hot) officer Nico to help absolve Bastion before the vampire council eliminate everyone. The sarcasm is thick and dry and the romance is definitely a secondary plot here. There are also a lot of side characters but Bastion and Whitby as a team steal the show.

As far as the romance, the banter is one sided at first since Nico is a professional and all but it actually becomes really sweet once Nico opens up.

The writing is a little linear, more like watching a movie i think. I also wish there was a wee more vampire lore; it’s hard to describe, like stuff kept getting mentioned but I wanted it to be more interlaced into the story. Still definitely recommend if you’re looking for something that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

Thank you to Netgalley and Putnam books for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Abbey · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was fun! always love a talking cat

[Angelo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this one! Felt like a really fun and charming episode of Buffy, except even queerer. The characters and world building were nicely done, as was the Italian setting. In many of the horror/mystery/romance mashups I’ve read in the past, usually I feel like none of the genres shine - but here it was a true mystery, a charming romance, and a horror(lite) vampire saga (with some truly unique world building elements) so truly each genre got to shine. My only nitpicky criticism are some of the interesting bits (the Obliterati) didn’t feel explore to their full potential - but hey here’s hoping for a sequel to dive deeper (in the meantime added the author’s back catalogue to my TBR)!

Thanks to NetGalley and Putnam for the very early ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Ireland · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

3.75 stars

I feel like this is a great vacation read. Intriguing mystery, beautiful setting and added vampirism made for a quick and entertaining read.

One thing that I really liked about this book was the intersectionality between queerness and vampirism, and how the feelings of otherness can be intertwined with the two. Bastian dealing with not only being ostracized for being queer, but then also a vampire added another layer of depth to his character that I think made for a more interesting story.

[Reyes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley and Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House for the opportunity to read this book

This cozy read started really strong and for about half the book I was completely invested in the story, but somewhere in the second half I got bored with the overused formula (a body appears, Bastian is accused, he kind of proves he's innocent, another body appears, Bastian is accused, etc.) and the random twists. I liked Bastian and De Luca as individual characters, but I think they had very little chemistry as a couple. I found Bastian's realtionship with Whitby a lot more interesting and better developed, it definitely was the highlight of the book imo. So not a total success for me, but definitely entertaining and worth your time this summer.

[Zaza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ce qu'il y a de bien avec l'abonnement à Afterlight, c'est que ça permet de découvrir des histoires qu'on ne lirait pas forcément sans cela, et même si ça ne marche pas à tous les coups, là je dois dire que je ressors de cette lecture plutôt ravie. Je ne sais pas trop dans quelle catégorie ranger ce roman, peut-être de l'urban fantasy M/M à la fois cosy et drôle ?
"Be still my unbeating heart" met en scène Bastian, vampire anglais venu se dorer la pilule (façon de parler 🤪) dans un petit village italien avec Whitby, son familier (un chat noir qui parle). Malheureusement pour lui, à peine arrivé, le voilà accusé de meurtre, et plus on avance dans le livre, plus les corps s'accumulent et plus les preuves sont contre lui. Il est suivi de près par Nico De Luca, un inspecteur très charmant aux oreilles décollées (je ne peux pas m'empêcher de mentionner ce détail très drôle qui fait tant craquer Bastian 😆) avec qui il va peu à peu ... fraterniser. 👉👈
Moi qui ai bien du mal à lire en ce moment, j'ai tout bonnement dévoré ce roman en moins de 24h, j'ai beaucoup aimé le style de l'auteur, j'ai pas mal ri. Il y a une bonne dose d'action, de rebondissements et de révélations, on ne s'ennuie pas une minute. Toutefois la fin est un peu précipitée et tirée par les cheveux mais ce n'est vraiment pas ce que je retiendrai de ce livre. Ce que j'ai vraiment adoré, c'est ce lien entre Bastian & Whitby, et la personnalité haute en couleurs de Bastian.
J'espère que Josh Winning écrira d'autres romans dans cette veine car j'ai adoré cette vibe !

[Vanessa Klein · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cutie little cozy murder mystery romance with vampires and talking cats

[Monica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so fun!
Bonus: a talking cat!

We have Bastian, a vampire who doesn't drink human blood anymore, and De Luca, a detective trying to solve a murder that looks a whole lot like a vampire is loose in Vernazza. Bastian is such a sociable person, he oozes chemistry and charisma. And he is determined to break down De Luca's walls and convince him of his innocence... and maybe even find a deeper connection while he's at it.

This book fuses romance with murder mystery so well - we can clearly see the connection between Bastian and De Luca building until they finally both give in to their affections. We also see so much great discussion on the public perception of vampires in this world and how that influences the murder case. The plot continues to move well and I found myself really looking forward to what would come next.

Audio note: I looooved the audio for this. The narrator did a great job of bringing the story to life. Definitely recommend listening to this one (accents are great, and even at a faster speed are still very easy to understand).

Thank you to Putnam for the advance digital copy of this title.

[Bbecca_marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Be Still My Unbeating Heart 🐈‍⬛✨Review✨ thank you so much partner @prhaudio #prhaudiopartner @putnambooks #putnampartner for free book + audiobook!

Be Still My Unbeating Heart
by Josh Winning
Read By George Weightman
out now!

A cozy vampire vacation mystery set in a seaside Italian village, featuring a reformed vampire, his magical talking cat, and a handsome, brooding detective.

My thoughts 💭:

A vampire, a magical talking cat, a murder mystery, a gorgeous detective, and a summer vacation in Italy? Darling, sign me UP! This was an absolute delight to read. The coziest murder mystery with just the right amount of spooky, magical, and romantic goodness. I split my time pretty evenly between the audiobook and the physical book, and I HIGHLY recommend both. The narrator was divine and delivered every character and moment with such finesse that switching between the audiobook and the book was seamless. Whitby was an absolute STAR. And I think I need approximately one magical talking cat in my life, please. I would also like to be friends with Bastian and Nico because, of course. The tension and back and forth between them was just so damn good. Getting them side by side to solve a mystery and fall for each other made this beating heart, happy. Plus we get witches, and a gorgeous Italian seaside village making this perfect for Summerween reading. All parts charming and delicious and romantic enough to make me swoon. Five whole stars from me, darling!

What to expect 👇🏽

🧛‍♂️ Vampires
🐈‍⬛ Talking cat
❣️MM romance
🩸Cozy + spooky
🔪Murder
🎃☀️Summerween perfection

Happy reading 📖🎧🩸🐈‍⬛

[Christie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book.

Be Still My Unbeating Heart by Josh Winning is an enjoyable spooky mystery with some supernatural flair and elements of horror. Bastian, a vegetarian vampire, and his talking feline companion, Whitby, are on vacation in Italy, but Bastian’s plans for a relaxing getaway are soon destroyed when he is accused of murder. Will Bastian be able to prove his innocence with help from Whitby and the enigmatic Inspector de Luca, or will he pay the ultimate price for a crime he did not commit? Read it to find out!

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was delightful! I loved Bastian and Whitby instantly. De Luca was a slightly harder sell at first, but he quickly grew on me and was honestly so sweet and adorable.

This was fast paced with just enough quieter moments to show growth in all of our MCs.

I really want there to be a sequel. There's so much potential for more antics, more romance, and more of exploring the world around these three.

[Tai · Rating 4 out of 5]

First and foremost, thank you to NetGalley and Putnam for the opportunity to read this book. It was truly an honor and I’m so grateful.

That being said I truly enjoyed this read. It was fun, sweet, a little sad and very cozy all around. The mystery was interesting and kept me guessing up until the very end. Just when I was certain it was one person, another suspect appeared with a brand new motive. It was a fun and interesting journey to the end.

The characters were also enjoyable. I did enjoy the dynamic between Bastian and DeLuca and their relationship felt genuine. But my favorite was Bastian and Whitby. Their devotion to one another was so moving and knowing how they got to where they were made me love them even more.

I really enjoyed this book. I wouldn’t be mad to see these characters again on a brand new adventure. In fact I would really enjoy it.

Thank you again Putnam and NetGalley.

[Oscar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Be Still My Unbeating Heart by Josh Winning was the perfect, slightly spooky murder mystery novel set with the lovely backdrop of Vernazza. One of the best parts of this novel was the talking cat, Whitby, who was the sassiest and most entertaining wanna be witch cat. If you were debating whether there was a need for a talking cat, rest assured, there were many needs for this feline throughout the novel. Another strong element of the novel was the chemistry between Bastian and Nico, as their tension and headbutting were inevitable and entertaining. From the sassy, sharp lines from Bastian to the quick, blunt comebacks from Nico. I was almost constantly laughing at the thought of their conversations in real life. My only negative for the novel was that the murder mystery at times was hard to follow, as it felt impossible to solve in some aspects, and the last twenty percent of the novel felt like a wrong accusation after a wrong accusation. However, the novel kept me entertained by the witty banter and the beauty of the Italian village and its nosy neighbors. Overall, 3.5/5 stars rounded up due to the lovely MM romance and a delightful murder mystery, and I would highly recommend it to anyone in need of more sassy cats in their books.

[liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the absolutely most perfect summer beach read and I could not put it down!! I finished it in one sitting.

What to expect:
- vampire x police officer
- small Italian village setting
- murder mystery
- grumpy x sunshine
- talking black cat side character

Bastian is an eccentric 80s loving vampire. He’s unique in the fact that he is the ONLY vampire to give up their “monstrous” ways and only drink animal blood. He decides to take a vacation in a small town in Italy where vampires are outlawed. As he makes his way around Italy with his talking cat, Whitby (we love a quirky animal side character!) people slowly start to turn up dead. The police chief frames him and stations another police officer, De Luca to watch over him until the vampire council comes. Bastian convinces De Luca that he’s innocent and the two of them take the streets trying to figure out who is hurting the people in their town.

This was so much fun. It was super light hearted and unserious but still had great messages of bigoted think and prejudice both within being a vampire and being gay.

Thank you to Putnam & NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my review.

[Lew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Put on your factor 70, it’s a vampire summer!

Thank you so much Putnam and Josh for this ARC. I LOVED Bastion so much, his unserious character and zest for life… unlife. His relationship with Whitby was fun and unique, a talking cat with an attitude and judgement issues. YES PLEASE.

This is a really fun and unique take on vampires and their integration into everyday life. The oblitorati was such a fun addition and side story line that complimented the overall plot.

This is a real slow burn and FULL of yearing which I can appreciate, but unfortunately I think it was a bit too slow for my personal preferences. Sadly not as dark as other books by Josh which I’ve loved. However some of the interactions between Bastion and De Luca had me sizzling!! Some very mild spice later on in the book.

So… I suppose this is where I ask how can I join The League of Vampire Enthusiasts? Absolutely not asking for a friend, asking for me lmao