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Infection Points: A Winter Census of Urban Predators
In this thrilling novella that's both outbreak and survival horror, award-winning Bulgarian author Elena Pavlova reimagines humanity's relationship with vampires, for fans of Jeff VanderMeer's Southern Reach series and
The Strain
.
Urban predators hibernate between November and March. At least, they used to.
A mytho-ecologist out of Sofia University, recruited into Urban Predators Without Borders, never imagined being one of the only living inhabitants in Block 10—observing a Bulgarian nest while living in a rundown apartment, tranquilizer gun loaded with silver nitrate by his bed.
With a species-collapsing outbreak spreading from nest to nest, any variation in local vampires' habits is extremely bad news.
Science and politics collide as the symbiotic relationship between predator and prey is forever altered. Between a deadly fungus and a system set on extermination, one burning question emerges. Is this infection just biological—or is it institutional?
Urban predators hibernate between November and March. At least, they used to.
A mytho-ecologist out of Sofia University, recruited into Urban Predators Without Borders, never imagined being one of the only living inhabitants in Block 10—observing a Bulgarian nest while living in a rundown apartment, tranquilizer gun loaded with silver nitrate by his bed.
With a species-collapsing outbreak spreading from nest to nest, any variation in local vampires' habits is extremely bad news.
Science and politics collide as the symbiotic relationship between predator and prey is forever altered. Between a deadly fungus and a system set on extermination, one burning question emerges. Is this infection just biological—or is it institutional?
Audible Audio
First published November 10, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The story itself is pretty interesting, and the idea of vampires existing as a predatory species that people observe, and sometimes protect, makes for a fascinating story. The novel approaches vampires through a sociopolitical lens, merging myth and modernity, and it creates situations that blend horror and urban fiction.
However, the story is only 84 pages (a little under two hours for the audiobook), so it tries to do a lot in a short time, and you can feel it. The novel opts for a "throw you in the middle of it and figure it out as you go" method of worldbuilding, which can be tricky, as it's easy to end up lost in all of the questions this method leaves you with at first. Unfortunately, I was confused, and it took about a third of the book for me to get a handle on things. It does get a bit more exciting by the end, but I can't say that makes up for the rather incomprehensible front half.
I listened to the audiobook and read the eBook once each to see if the format contributed to my confusion, and it didn't make much of a difference for me. I wonder if this is a case of things being lost in translation, but overall I'd say this was a really interesting premise that does not have enough time to properly come together due to the short length.
I received a digital ARC and audiobook from NetGalley; all opinions are my own.
However, the story is only 84 pages (a little under two hours for the audiobook), so it tries to do a lot in a short time, and you can feel it. The novel opts for a "throw you in the middle of it and figure it out as you go" method of worldbuilding, which can be tricky, as it's easy to end up lost in all of the questions this method leaves you with at first. Unfortunately, I was confused, and it took about a third of the book for me to get a handle on things. It does get a bit more exciting by the end, but I can't say that makes up for the rather incomprehensible front half.
I listened to the audiobook and read the eBook once each to see if the format contributed to my confusion, and it didn't make much of a difference for me. I wonder if this is a case of things being lost in translation, but overall I'd say this was a really interesting premise that does not have enough time to properly come together due to the short length.
I received a digital ARC and audiobook from NetGalley; all opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Im always thankful the get arcs trough netgally but while the blurb made me want to start tmit right away it was to shorts and puts you in the middle of the story. Found it difficult to get invested enough to truly follow along. It took me out of the story not being able to see how everything happened and get introduced to the happenings and vampire crisis from the beginning.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley, Ruadán Books, and Elena Pavlova for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was entertaining! I never rate novellas too high because obviously there's not much content to go off of, but this was pretty good! It was so unique with the corporations and the culture of the vampires living amongst humans. I was super intrigued to learn more about the world building regarding the jobs of the characters and everything else. It was explained so well, I felt so knowledgeable about these fictional jobs having to do with vampires! That being said, I was really in the mood to be scared, that's why I picked up this book, but I really wasn't, though I don't think it was made to be super scary in that way, so that was just my expectations. Another thing I have to say is the ending was a little hard to comprehend in my opinion as far as the action and describing what was happening, but by the end of the scene I could put together what had happened pretty well. Overall, this was a refreshing short read and it was so cool to read about this new and unique take on vampirism!!
This was entertaining! I never rate novellas too high because obviously there's not much content to go off of, but this was pretty good! It was so unique with the corporations and the culture of the vampires living amongst humans. I was super intrigued to learn more about the world building regarding the jobs of the characters and everything else. It was explained so well, I felt so knowledgeable about these fictional jobs having to do with vampires! That being said, I was really in the mood to be scared, that's why I picked up this book, but I really wasn't, though I don't think it was made to be super scary in that way, so that was just my expectations. Another thing I have to say is the ending was a little hard to comprehend in my opinion as far as the action and describing what was happening, but by the end of the scene I could put together what had happened pretty well. Overall, this was a refreshing short read and it was so cool to read about this new and unique take on vampirism!!
September 8, 2026
I loved the concept of approaching vampirism through a scientific and ecological lens. Treating these creatures as hibernating urban predators affected by fungal infections (Candida vampiris) is such a cool setup, and the bleak Balkan setting gives it a solid, gritty atmosphere. The tension during the field testing and sample collection scenes kept things engaging and fast-paced.
However, the short novella format really holds it back. You're thrown in headfirst with a rapid-fire parade of characters, making it hard to track who is who or care about their fates when the action spikes. Between the rushed character introductions and a few disjointed dialogue transitions, the narrative needed more breathing room to fully land its impact. It reads like a great concept constrained by its length. Given a full-length novel treatment to flesh out the cast and institutional lore, this could have been exceptional.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ruadán Books for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
However, the short novella format really holds it back. You're thrown in headfirst with a rapid-fire parade of characters, making it hard to track who is who or care about their fates when the action spikes. Between the rushed character introductions and a few disjointed dialogue transitions, the narrative needed more breathing room to fully land its impact. It reads like a great concept constrained by its length. Given a full-length novel treatment to flesh out the cast and institutional lore, this could have been exceptional.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ruadán Books for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Read
November 4, 2026What an interesting take on vampires. In this short novella, vampires are urban predators that are being observed and studied. An outbreak threatens to eliminate all vampire nests and they are trying to help them and find a cure.
Our main character is observing a nest of vampires that get infected with this fungal infection. His orders are to eliminate the whole nest. He is inu if he should and if the moment comes, if he can.
This was a very imaginative take on vampires and I wish it was a book series or a longer novel. I would like to know more about the world, the vampires and EVERYTHING. It was also very atmospheric and it felt like a run down almost postapocalyptic world where humans and vampires coexist.
Our main character is observing a nest of vampires that get infected with this fungal infection. His orders are to eliminate the whole nest. He is inu if he should and if the moment comes, if he can.
This was a very imaginative take on vampires and I wish it was a book series or a longer novel. I would like to know more about the world, the vampires and EVERYTHING. It was also very atmospheric and it felt like a run down almost postapocalyptic world where humans and vampires coexist.
November 8, 2026
Thanks to netgalley for an ALC of ‘Infection points.’ The synopsis really pulled me in however it wasn’t what I expected.
First of all I feel like I was thrown into a story at the 25% mark, I genuinely felt so confused and didn’t know who was who and what was going on. I think the story needed a bit more information, character development and time.
However I did enjoy the world of living among vampires and studying them. Definitely an intriguing aspect, just don’t think this was for me.
First of all I feel like I was thrown into a story at the 25% mark, I genuinely felt so confused and didn’t know who was who and what was going on. I think the story needed a bit more information, character development and time.
However I did enjoy the world of living among vampires and studying them. Definitely an intriguing aspect, just don’t think this was for me.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I read this book as an ARC from NetGalley and this review is my honest feedback based on my reading the book.
A rather unusual and interesting take on vampire fiction. Instead of the usual horror, thrill and clash of bloodsucking creatures and human hunters, we have vampires as an endangered species and a strand of fungal infection threatening their existence. Added to the mix are WWE inspired organisation, a mythologist, scientific investigations and Bulgarian folklore to the mix and there lies an interesting premise.
The author Elena brings together mythology, ecology, science and horror in a story that is quite different from the usual fare. The idea of treating vampires as part of an ecosystem and looking at their survival through the lens of conservation is particularly interesting. There is also an underlying commentary on human interference with nature, institutional responses and the consequences of trying to control what we do not fully understand and the need to cover up with extreme prejudice.
However, the story does feel a little rushed. There is plenty happening within its limited pages, but the characters and some of the more interesting ideas could have done with greater development. A little more depth and some tighter editing would have made this a much stronger read. A lot of the information seems left to the imagination of the reader or obscure.
An interesting concept and a refreshing variation on vampire fiction. Not quite there in execution, but certainly worth a look for readers who enjoy unusual takes on the horror and fantasy genres.
A rather unusual and interesting take on vampire fiction. Instead of the usual horror, thrill and clash of bloodsucking creatures and human hunters, we have vampires as an endangered species and a strand of fungal infection threatening their existence. Added to the mix are WWE inspired organisation, a mythologist, scientific investigations and Bulgarian folklore to the mix and there lies an interesting premise.
The author Elena brings together mythology, ecology, science and horror in a story that is quite different from the usual fare. The idea of treating vampires as part of an ecosystem and looking at their survival through the lens of conservation is particularly interesting. There is also an underlying commentary on human interference with nature, institutional responses and the consequences of trying to control what we do not fully understand and the need to cover up with extreme prejudice.
However, the story does feel a little rushed. There is plenty happening within its limited pages, but the characters and some of the more interesting ideas could have done with greater development. A little more depth and some tighter editing would have made this a much stronger read. A lot of the information seems left to the imagination of the reader or obscure.
An interesting concept and a refreshing variation on vampire fiction. Not quite there in execution, but certainly worth a look for readers who enjoy unusual takes on the horror and fantasy genres.
August 18, 2026
I saw the synopsis and immediately requested this one because it sounded like something just up my alley - vampires being treated like predators and not just monsters? sign me up!
I do think this being a novella was its downfall. It would’ve worked much better as a longer book so we had enough time to get the plot and the characters. A bunch of characters were introduced at once and I had no time to figure out who is who. We don’t spend enough time with any of them for me to care about what’s going on. I also don’t think the vampire aspect is explained enough - it felt like we’re just dropped in the middle of the action and have to piece it together. And I don’t expect to be spoon-fed, but I do expect the story to be somewhat coherent.
The writing style wasn’t as smooth as I would have liked. Some of the dialogue was stilted at times and it pulled me out of the story. I had moments when I asked myself “who actually talks like that?”. The plot was well-paced for such a short story, but I still think it would’ve been better as a longer book. The idea of humans actively trying to save the vampires instead of hunting them down was a breath of fresh air - I haven’t really seen this approach anywhere else.
Overall, I think this is an intriguing read and, even though I didn’t vibe with it as much as I would’ve liked, I still think it’s worth the read just because it’s so imaginative. I wish the author would expand this universe and write more books with the same idea because it’s unique.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was unexpectedly good, solid 4.25 stars from me. Story is amazing, especially considering how much the author managed to pack into little bit more than hundred pages. Plot is strong, well executed and supported both by scientific details and typical Balkan belifs, that makes everything sound believable. The worldbuilding is rich and atmospheric, written with amazing precision.
The idea itself is unique and refreshing. Here we have vampires as urban predators living in cities, fungal infection spreading among vampires, humans trying to save them instead of hunting them. It is impressive how author blended naturally these elements to fit together. The book is fast, exciting and engaging from start to finish.
I struggled a bit with the writing style, but since this is a translation to English, it doesn’t surprise that the language isn’t always smooth or easygoing. The strength of the concept and uniqueness of the story make up for it.
This is well‑crafted, imaginative story that delivers far more than its page count suggests. I enjoyed it a lot and looking forward to reading more stories from Elena Pavlova.
Thank you NetGalley for this amazing read!
The idea itself is unique and refreshing. Here we have vampires as urban predators living in cities, fungal infection spreading among vampires, humans trying to save them instead of hunting them. It is impressive how author blended naturally these elements to fit together. The book is fast, exciting and engaging from start to finish.
I struggled a bit with the writing style, but since this is a translation to English, it doesn’t surprise that the language isn’t always smooth or easygoing. The strength of the concept and uniqueness of the story make up for it.
This is well‑crafted, imaginative story that delivers far more than its page count suggests. I enjoyed it a lot and looking forward to reading more stories from Elena Pavlova.
Thank you NetGalley for this amazing read!
November 10, 2026
Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for making the book available in READ NOW section of Netgalley.
My rating : 3.75/5
A novella focusing on the relationship between humans and vampires as cohabitants. I picked up the book because the synopsis was very interesting to me . The relationship highlighted between the vampires and the protagonist had me rooting for them throughout the climax. Most importantly, I love the care he had for /his/ vampires. Generally, the vampire stories mainly show vampires as the superior species who prey on humans but here we find a reverse , where humans are the ones endangering them and they are the only ones who can protect them. Can't help but notice the analogy of how humans treat any other species that are not human in the real world- mostly animals. Some animals are so deadly, yet nothing is more endangering than some humans who would exploit anyone and anything to get what they want.
Finally, I felt like a little more backstory would have made the story even better.
My rating : 3.75/5
A novella focusing on the relationship between humans and vampires as cohabitants. I picked up the book because the synopsis was very interesting to me . The relationship highlighted between the vampires and the protagonist had me rooting for them throughout the climax. Most importantly, I love the care he had for /his/ vampires. Generally, the vampire stories mainly show vampires as the superior species who prey on humans but here we find a reverse , where humans are the ones endangering them and they are the only ones who can protect them. Can't help but notice the analogy of how humans treat any other species that are not human in the real world- mostly animals. Some animals are so deadly, yet nothing is more endangering than some humans who would exploit anyone and anything to get what they want.
Finally, I felt like a little more backstory would have made the story even better.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
First of all as always a giant thank you to Netgalley and Ruadán Books for this opportunity. It truly means a lot having this chance in exchange for a fair and sincere review. Now About the book. I had parts I really liked it and parts that I didn't like it at all. The theme, idea and plot was incredible. The type of book I would read and yearn for more, loved the characters and the uniqueness of it all yet what didn't work for me was a combination of it being a novella so lacking depth since it's not easy to add depth in a book that is less than 100 pages long book without previous information with it being a single chapter novella, meaning everything is consolidated in a single long chapter. The book itself is quick to read since of its length yet the story inside is slower due the lack of chapter breaks. In general it was good, interesting and unique but not memorable for me and my personal taste yet see the potential of a majority of readers liking it.
Read
November 12, 2026Reread in preparation for the online launch party on Sunday, 15 November:
https://choveshkata.net/forum/viewtop...
Come one, come all! We don't bite ... uninvited. :D
Infection Points deals with an unusual type of vampires in a Bulgarian town; but more importantly, it deals with the ways in which NGOs work (and don't work). Both Elena and I (as her first editor) have extensive experience with animal rights and nature conservation organisations, so the novella explores issues we've seen nowhere else, at least in speculative fiction. If you can think of anything similar, please let us know. We're mighty interested.
Some of my thoughts during this reread:
https://choveshkata.net/forum/viewtop...
https://choveshkata.net/forum/viewtop...
Come one, come all! We don't bite ... uninvited. :D
Infection Points deals with an unusual type of vampires in a Bulgarian town; but more importantly, it deals with the ways in which NGOs work (and don't work). Both Elena and I (as her first editor) have extensive experience with animal rights and nature conservation organisations, so the novella explores issues we've seen nowhere else, at least in speculative fiction. If you can think of anything similar, please let us know. We're mighty interested.
Some of my thoughts during this reread:
https://choveshkata.net/forum/viewtop...
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I love a vampire, but I genuinely have no idea what happened in this book. I didn’t hate it which is why it gets 2 stars, but I’m just very confused. I also didn’t get to know any of the characters and I don’t even remember their names, I would be interested in a slightly longer version I think with a tiny bit more character depth just so I’m not confused the entire time.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3 Stars
The Infection Points by Elena Pavlova delivers an intriguing mix of outbreak horror and vampire fiction. The concept was compelling, but the execution didn’t fully sink its teeth into me. I appreciated the unusual premise, but the overall experience lacked the impact needed to make this a standout read.
🎧 Audiobook Narration: Julian Elfer brought a deeper bite to the story, keeping me engaged even when the narrative didn’t completely win me over.
August 15, 2026
I really enjoyed Infection Points by Elena Pavlova. It’s a short story, but it manages to pull you in really quickly. I especially liked the way the vampires are portrayed. Instead of just being seen as monsters, they’re treated almost like an animal species, with caretakers looking after them and keeping an eye on them.
The story itself flows really. There’s a gradual build-up towards the climax, and I really liked how the tension slowly increased until everything came together. It made the ending feel much more impactful.
And then there’s Didi. Didi is so cute and was definitely one of my favourite parts of the story. I found myself wanting more interactions with her.
There was so much potential to explore the world, the vampires and their caretakers further, and I would have happily read more. Overall, Infection Points is a captivating and easy-to-read short story with a really interesting concept, a great build-up, and a very cute vampire named Didi. I just wish there had been more of it!
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The story itself flows really. There’s a gradual build-up towards the climax, and I really liked how the tension slowly increased until everything came together. It made the ending feel much more impactful.
And then there’s Didi. Didi is so cute and was definitely one of my favourite parts of the story. I found myself wanting more interactions with her.
There was so much potential to explore the world, the vampires and their caretakers further, and I would have happily read more. Overall, Infection Points is a captivating and easy-to-read short story with a really interesting concept, a great build-up, and a very cute vampire named Didi. I just wish there had been more of it!
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
What a weird story. I enjoyed getting to know the characters. The world building was lacking a bit. I did visualize the apartments, but I could not visualize the chaos when in the apartment. I understood what was happening, but I just could not put myself in the story when it came to that. The character development was great. I did get the feelings coming through in the pages.
A story I would recommend to many horror and vampire readers. It's a quick story that I devoured in one day.
A story I would recommend to many horror and vampire readers. It's a quick story that I devoured in one day.
September 14, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Ruadán Books for providing me with the ARC
What a unique way to represent vampires, I loved it, this needs to be a full length novel asap, because that ending wasn’t an ending at all. I was pleasantly surprise, so highly, highly recommend if you love horror and vampirism. This reminded me of the first REC movie.
What a unique way to represent vampires, I loved it, this needs to be a full length novel asap, because that ending wasn’t an ending at all. I was pleasantly surprise, so highly, highly recommend if you love horror and vampirism. This reminded me of the first REC movie.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
**I received a complimentary digital review copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**
I really wanted to love this one. The premise immediately caught my attention because it’s such an interesting reversal of traditional vampire fiction. Instead of vampires being the terrifying predators humans need to eradicate, they’re an at-risk population receiving conservation efforts. I love that concept. There’s so much potential in exploring what coexistence between humans and vampires might look like, especially when their survival is tied to complicated ecological and ethical questions.
Unfortunately, I spent so much of this story trying to understand its world that I struggled to actually enjoy what was happening in it.
I understand that this is a short story, and I certainly don’t expect every little detail to be explained. But I do think there’s a difference between leaving readers with intriguing mysteries and leaving them without enough context to follow the story. What exactly is a shock bite? How is someone surviving its effects with seemingly little more than ointment and bandages? Why do human populations apparently boom near vampire nests? And why are the vampires so drawn to the main character?
The conflict between the different factions was particularly confusing to me. From what I could gather, one group wants to eliminate the vampires while another wants to protect or rehabilitate them, but I never felt like I understood either side’s motivations. I was also confused about why the main character was working with both groups despite their seemingly opposing goals. These aren’t necessarily questions I needed answered down to the last detail, but they’re pretty fundamental to understanding the world and the decisions being made within it.
What makes this especially frustrating is that I genuinely love the idea behind the story. The conservation angle is creative, and the idea of treating vampires as an ecologically significant, vulnerable species opens the door to some fascinating questions about humanity’s relationship with predators. I wanted to understand the science, the social dynamics, and the competing philosophies surrounding their survival. Instead, I kept finding myself distracted by questions I thought I should already know the answers to.
I made it to 89% before deciding not to finish. At that point, I realized I was reading more out of determination to figure out what I’d missed than because I was invested in the story itself. For such a short work, I think the premise might actually have benefited from more room to develop. There were so many interesting ideas here, but I never felt like I had a solid enough foundation to appreciate them.
Ultimately, this was a fascinating concept that didn’t quite come together for me. I can appreciate the creativity behind it, and I suspect readers who enjoy being dropped into an unfamiliar world and piecing things together independently may have a better experience. I just needed a little more clarity to get invested.
I really wanted to love this one. The premise immediately caught my attention because it’s such an interesting reversal of traditional vampire fiction. Instead of vampires being the terrifying predators humans need to eradicate, they’re an at-risk population receiving conservation efforts. I love that concept. There’s so much potential in exploring what coexistence between humans and vampires might look like, especially when their survival is tied to complicated ecological and ethical questions.
Unfortunately, I spent so much of this story trying to understand its world that I struggled to actually enjoy what was happening in it.
I understand that this is a short story, and I certainly don’t expect every little detail to be explained. But I do think there’s a difference between leaving readers with intriguing mysteries and leaving them without enough context to follow the story. What exactly is a shock bite? How is someone surviving its effects with seemingly little more than ointment and bandages? Why do human populations apparently boom near vampire nests? And why are the vampires so drawn to the main character?
The conflict between the different factions was particularly confusing to me. From what I could gather, one group wants to eliminate the vampires while another wants to protect or rehabilitate them, but I never felt like I understood either side’s motivations. I was also confused about why the main character was working with both groups despite their seemingly opposing goals. These aren’t necessarily questions I needed answered down to the last detail, but they’re pretty fundamental to understanding the world and the decisions being made within it.
What makes this especially frustrating is that I genuinely love the idea behind the story. The conservation angle is creative, and the idea of treating vampires as an ecologically significant, vulnerable species opens the door to some fascinating questions about humanity’s relationship with predators. I wanted to understand the science, the social dynamics, and the competing philosophies surrounding their survival. Instead, I kept finding myself distracted by questions I thought I should already know the answers to.
I made it to 89% before deciding not to finish. At that point, I realized I was reading more out of determination to figure out what I’d missed than because I was invested in the story itself. For such a short work, I think the premise might actually have benefited from more room to develop. There were so many interesting ideas here, but I never felt like I had a solid enough foundation to appreciate them.
Ultimately, this was a fascinating concept that didn’t quite come together for me. I can appreciate the creativity behind it, and I suspect readers who enjoy being dropped into an unfamiliar world and piecing things together independently may have a better experience. I just needed a little more clarity to get invested.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Review based on an ARC obtained from Ruadan Boks via NetGalley.
Infection Points is short. A mere 50 or so pages. Almost an extended short story rather than a novella.
Short prose lovers will feel it is too long and tends to meander to the irrelevant. While readers who consume novels will find it disappointingly short and rather unfulfilling. As a whole the story feels like pages torn out of a larger work.
The vampiris disease in the novelette, like most scientific discoveries, has both positive and negative effects on the surrounding humanity. This resulting in a very sensitive symbiosis. The concept of vampirism as disrupted environmental function is interesting and unique. And it also does all the heavy lifting in drawing in the reader. It is also not so science-heavy as to be unapproachable by majority of readers.
An unnamed and largely unsympathetic scientist drags us through the grey wintry Bulgarian landscape that serves as the background of the story. His frustration is palpable throughout and sets the tone for the reader.
The eco-conservationism draws thickly nuanced parallels to our own attempts to prevent the eradication of species from the planet. And science is as political in the fictional setting as it is in reality.
The ending is as ambiguously disheartening as the current state of our own city dwellers.
Pavlova’s short fiction and middle grade books are known for their humour and invention so it was a pleasure to see it translate into a novella format. It’s easy to tell that the author is a short story writer because no time is wasted in getting to the gist of the story. It draws you in fast and throws you right in to the action.
I will say that the first pages suffered from wordiness of many translations. There are words in Bulgarian representing entire concepts that have no direct counterpart in English. This often puts the translator in a situation where way too many words are forced into a sentence in order to remain faithful to the original. The result rather clunky. However the rhythm changed and as the story became more visible it also became more enjoyable. It almost felt as if after the first few pages we were reading Pavlova rather than a translation of her work.
Infection Points is short. A mere 50 or so pages. Almost an extended short story rather than a novella.
Short prose lovers will feel it is too long and tends to meander to the irrelevant. While readers who consume novels will find it disappointingly short and rather unfulfilling. As a whole the story feels like pages torn out of a larger work.
The vampiris disease in the novelette, like most scientific discoveries, has both positive and negative effects on the surrounding humanity. This resulting in a very sensitive symbiosis. The concept of vampirism as disrupted environmental function is interesting and unique. And it also does all the heavy lifting in drawing in the reader. It is also not so science-heavy as to be unapproachable by majority of readers.
An unnamed and largely unsympathetic scientist drags us through the grey wintry Bulgarian landscape that serves as the background of the story. His frustration is palpable throughout and sets the tone for the reader.
The eco-conservationism draws thickly nuanced parallels to our own attempts to prevent the eradication of species from the planet. And science is as political in the fictional setting as it is in reality.
The ending is as ambiguously disheartening as the current state of our own city dwellers.
Pavlova’s short fiction and middle grade books are known for their humour and invention so it was a pleasure to see it translate into a novella format. It’s easy to tell that the author is a short story writer because no time is wasted in getting to the gist of the story. It draws you in fast and throws you right in to the action.
I will say that the first pages suffered from wordiness of many translations. There are words in Bulgarian representing entire concepts that have no direct counterpart in English. This often puts the translator in a situation where way too many words are forced into a sentence in order to remain faithful to the original. The result rather clunky. However the rhythm changed and as the story became more visible it also became more enjoyable. It almost felt as if after the first few pages we were reading Pavlova rather than a translation of her work.
October 22, 2026
Advance Listener Copy
—
I received an advance listening copy of Infection Points: A Winter Census of Urban Predators through NetGalley. I hadn't read a novella in a while and figured this would be something a little different to try.
I thought the concept was really interesting, especially the scientific and medical approach to vampirism. Instead of the usual vampire story, they're treated almost like a vulnerable population being studied, with different organizations involved in researching and managing them. I especially liked the idea of people genuinely trying to help and protect the vampires, and how the story explored the different motivations behind these organizations. It was definitely a different take on vampires than what I was expecting.
I do think this could've easily been made into a full-length novel, though, and I actually wish it had been. There was a lot going on with the different characters, organizations, and everything surrounding the vampires themselves. It all happened pretty quickly, and I found myself struggling a little to keep track of who everyone was, what the different groups were doing, and how everything connected. I was interested in what was happening, but I also felt like I was spending a lot of time just trying to understand the world.
I also would've liked to know more about the vampires themselves, especially Didi. I found myself getting invested in what happened to them, and I think having more time to get to know them would've added a lot to the story.
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Julian Elfer, and I really liked his performance. I think his narration actually helped the novella a lot and made it a better listening experience overall.
Overall, I'm glad I gave this one a try. I liked the concept and thought there was a lot of potential here. I just wish we'd gotten a little more time with the characters and the world before everything wrapped up.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance listening copy in exchange for my honest review.
Find me: Instagram | TikTok | Fable | StoryGraph | Linktree
I received an advance listening copy of Infection Points: A Winter Census of Urban Predators through NetGalley. I hadn't read a novella in a while and figured this would be something a little different to try.
I thought the concept was really interesting, especially the scientific and medical approach to vampirism. Instead of the usual vampire story, they're treated almost like a vulnerable population being studied, with different organizations involved in researching and managing them. I especially liked the idea of people genuinely trying to help and protect the vampires, and how the story explored the different motivations behind these organizations. It was definitely a different take on vampires than what I was expecting.
I do think this could've easily been made into a full-length novel, though, and I actually wish it had been. There was a lot going on with the different characters, organizations, and everything surrounding the vampires themselves. It all happened pretty quickly, and I found myself struggling a little to keep track of who everyone was, what the different groups were doing, and how everything connected. I was interested in what was happening, but I also felt like I was spending a lot of time just trying to understand the world.
I also would've liked to know more about the vampires themselves, especially Didi. I found myself getting invested in what happened to them, and I think having more time to get to know them would've added a lot to the story.
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Julian Elfer, and I really liked his performance. I think his narration actually helped the novella a lot and made it a better listening experience overall.
Overall, I'm glad I gave this one a try. I liked the concept and thought there was a lot of potential here. I just wish we'd gotten a little more time with the characters and the world before everything wrapped up.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance listening copy in exchange for my honest review.
Find me: Instagram | TikTok | Fable | StoryGraph | Linktree
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I had a hankering for another spooky book for the season, and since it is also International Infection Prevention Week, I jumped at the chance to listen to a Novella by Elena Pavola.
Pavlova is a Bulgarian writer, who's written under a few other names and seems to have been consistently publishing over the past several years.
I was super grateful for the audio version of Infection Points: A Winter Census of Urban Predators. My eyes have been less interested in reading- especially E-books, so an audio was fantastic. Julian Elfer read the novella and I enjoyed his rich voice, feeling as if really brought something to the charm of this short volume.
This is a book in translation, and I did feel like maybe the translation wasn't as smooth as it could have been. That said, this is Bulgaria in winter, with a pack of vampires So perhaps SMOOTH wasn't the intention!
No Spoilers here- Our Main character is working for an organization that tracks vampires. These vamps live in nests and tend to improve the lives of others around them. This makes them prime study material for some academic types, looking to build a reputation off of the work of the Nest minders. Vampires are also susceptible to a fungal infection. When infected there's a few options- all of them risky. Once this nest appears to be infected, two separate parties start to race to apply their brand of cure. If you want to know what happens, you'll want to make time for this one.
I enjoyed the story and would have loved it to be a bit longer with more character development and back story. I was struck by the harshness of the description of the life of a Bulgarian Vampire minder. I felt the author brought to life the gritty, cold and somewhat bleak nature of winter in Bulgaria and I loved that! Definitely one if you want to sneak in something before the end of October!
Pavlova is a Bulgarian writer, who's written under a few other names and seems to have been consistently publishing over the past several years.
I was super grateful for the audio version of Infection Points: A Winter Census of Urban Predators. My eyes have been less interested in reading- especially E-books, so an audio was fantastic. Julian Elfer read the novella and I enjoyed his rich voice, feeling as if really brought something to the charm of this short volume.
This is a book in translation, and I did feel like maybe the translation wasn't as smooth as it could have been. That said, this is Bulgaria in winter, with a pack of vampires So perhaps SMOOTH wasn't the intention!
No Spoilers here- Our Main character is working for an organization that tracks vampires. These vamps live in nests and tend to improve the lives of others around them. This makes them prime study material for some academic types, looking to build a reputation off of the work of the Nest minders. Vampires are also susceptible to a fungal infection. When infected there's a few options- all of them risky. Once this nest appears to be infected, two separate parties start to race to apply their brand of cure. If you want to know what happens, you'll want to make time for this one.
I enjoyed the story and would have loved it to be a bit longer with more character development and back story. I was struck by the harshness of the description of the life of a Bulgarian Vampire minder. I felt the author brought to life the gritty, cold and somewhat bleak nature of winter in Bulgaria and I loved that! Definitely one if you want to sneak in something before the end of October!
October 23, 2026
Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review. Now this story was something I really jumped into because I’ve been very into watching resident evil and gameplays, in vampires feels very adjacent to zombies from that universe.
So in this story, we meet a man who is tasked with watching a nest of vampires, partly it seems to defend against them but also just to monitor of their daily living, almost like he is a sociologist or anthropological observer. There’s a lot of than info dumping about how the world got to a place where vampires were this common, or their typical habits, it didn’t necessarily feel natural but I think it was as a result of this book being a shorter Novella. To me, that was a bit of a weakness because I like to experience and learn things slow slowly, but it did force the plot along.
One of the other weaknesses is religious due to the nature of translation, I think. Some of the transitions aren’t that great or the dialogue seems stilted, not so natural (though maybe that is the authors way of trying to come off as much more scientific?), And I wonder if that is a result of the translation.
Now, overall, this isn’t a bad book by any means. Just to me, it wasn’t as exciting as what I wanted. I think in the description it talked about being a sort of outbreak type story, and I loved that movie growing up… This was more procedural than it was thrilling. I still think anybody interested to give it a try because it’s quite short, and the narrator for the audiobook was very easy to listen to. He had a lot of great emotionality and great pacing, so if you’re unsure that you want to read it, I would pick up the audiobook for sure!
Thank you again NetGalley!
So in this story, we meet a man who is tasked with watching a nest of vampires, partly it seems to defend against them but also just to monitor of their daily living, almost like he is a sociologist or anthropological observer. There’s a lot of than info dumping about how the world got to a place where vampires were this common, or their typical habits, it didn’t necessarily feel natural but I think it was as a result of this book being a shorter Novella. To me, that was a bit of a weakness because I like to experience and learn things slow slowly, but it did force the plot along.
One of the other weaknesses is religious due to the nature of translation, I think. Some of the transitions aren’t that great or the dialogue seems stilted, not so natural (though maybe that is the authors way of trying to come off as much more scientific?), And I wonder if that is a result of the translation.
Now, overall, this isn’t a bad book by any means. Just to me, it wasn’t as exciting as what I wanted. I think in the description it talked about being a sort of outbreak type story, and I loved that movie growing up… This was more procedural than it was thrilling. I still think anybody interested to give it a try because it’s quite short, and the narrator for the audiobook was very easy to listen to. He had a lot of great emotionality and great pacing, so if you’re unsure that you want to read it, I would pick up the audiobook for sure!
Thank you again NetGalley!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
INFECTION POINTS
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thank you to the author and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
This novella follows a mytho-ecologist who lives and works near a vampire nest in Bulgaria, studying their ecology amidst an outbreak of a fungal infection that threatens vampires with extinction.
I loved the world of this book, and would be very interested to see more of it! It's set in an alternate Bulgaria where urban predators like vampires are studied and conserved as they live in an uneasy symbiosis with humanity. Due to the length of the book, it doesn't give more than a few peeks at the larger world that exists outside the context of the main character's life, but what we did get was super fascinating.
I also quite enjoyed the prose, which impressed me all the more when I learned that this is a translated work from the original Bulgarian. Sometimes I find with translated works that the prose comes across as a bit stilted or odd, but that certainly wasn't the case here.
The standout for me was the character of Didi, a vampire child who lives in the nest being monitored by the main character. I wish we'd had more of her - she was super interesting and I really enjoyed her interactions with the other characters in the book.
I listened to this one as an audiobook, and thought the narrator, Julian Elfer, did a wonderful job telling this story.
I will say - I feel this would have been stronger as a longer work, but I'm still very happy with what we got.
I would strongly recommend giving this one a read or listen, particularly if you enjoy eco horror.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thank you to the author and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
This novella follows a mytho-ecologist who lives and works near a vampire nest in Bulgaria, studying their ecology amidst an outbreak of a fungal infection that threatens vampires with extinction.
I loved the world of this book, and would be very interested to see more of it! It's set in an alternate Bulgaria where urban predators like vampires are studied and conserved as they live in an uneasy symbiosis with humanity. Due to the length of the book, it doesn't give more than a few peeks at the larger world that exists outside the context of the main character's life, but what we did get was super fascinating.
I also quite enjoyed the prose, which impressed me all the more when I learned that this is a translated work from the original Bulgarian. Sometimes I find with translated works that the prose comes across as a bit stilted or odd, but that certainly wasn't the case here.
The standout for me was the character of Didi, a vampire child who lives in the nest being monitored by the main character. I wish we'd had more of her - she was super interesting and I really enjoyed her interactions with the other characters in the book.
I listened to this one as an audiobook, and thought the narrator, Julian Elfer, did a wonderful job telling this story.
I will say - I feel this would have been stronger as a longer work, but I'm still very happy with what we got.
I would strongly recommend giving this one a read or listen, particularly if you enjoy eco horror.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I really liked the concept behind ‘Infection Points’ with its unique approach to vampires, looking at them through a conservation biology and ecological lens. The protagonist is an ecologist studying vampires and I found the idea of treating vampires as a biological phenomenon, rather than purely supernatural creatures, an interesting take on the genre, especially as the story develops to explore a fungus affecting the vampire population and the potential consequences for the ecosystem's balance.
Unfortunately, I found the book became a little dry when it moved away from the ecological elements and towards academic politics. I was much more interested in the biological world the author had created than in the institutional dynamics surrounding its study. Similarly, although several characters are introduced, I didn't feel that enough time was spent developing them or exploring their inner lives. I would have liked to know more about the protagonist in particular, but I struggled to feel particularly connected to them.
Overall, ‘Infection Points’ has an inventive premise, and its treatment of vampires and folkloric creatures through ecology and conservation is what makes it stand out. I enjoyed the worldbuilding and the questions it raises about ecosystems, extinction and the consequences of disrupting the natural balance. However, I found myself wishing this were a full length novel to give the author space to provide more character development and a stronger narrative focus to complement the fascinating ideas.
I received an eARC from NetGalley and I am voluntarily leaving this review.
Unfortunately, I found the book became a little dry when it moved away from the ecological elements and towards academic politics. I was much more interested in the biological world the author had created than in the institutional dynamics surrounding its study. Similarly, although several characters are introduced, I didn't feel that enough time was spent developing them or exploring their inner lives. I would have liked to know more about the protagonist in particular, but I struggled to feel particularly connected to them.
Overall, ‘Infection Points’ has an inventive premise, and its treatment of vampires and folkloric creatures through ecology and conservation is what makes it stand out. I enjoyed the worldbuilding and the questions it raises about ecosystems, extinction and the consequences of disrupting the natural balance. However, I found myself wishing this were a full length novel to give the author space to provide more character development and a stronger narrative focus to complement the fascinating ideas.
I received an eARC from NetGalley and I am voluntarily leaving this review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
📖 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿: Readers who enjoy vampires, science, and a bit of eco-horror.
Vampires, a spreading illness, and scientists trying to figure out what's going on? I was sold! I loved the idea behind this story and the world it introduced. I wanted to know more about the illness, whether the cure would work, and how everything fitted together. There was so much I wanted to explore, and I wasn't ready to leave just yet.
My biggest problem was that it all felt a bit rushed. The story is fairly short, and I think it could have been something really good with more room to develop. I wanted to spend more time with the symptoms, see the threat grow, and follow the fight against it. Instead, the ending suddenly went into overdrive, with action and death coming so quickly that I struggled to keep up. I was left with more questions than answers, which was a shame because I genuinely wanted to know more.
Still, I really liked the idea, and I'd happily have spent longer in this world. I just wish the story had given itself a little more breathing room.
✨ 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱:
• The unusual mix of vampires, science, and eco-horror.
• The world-building that left me wanting to know more.
• The mystery surrounding the illness and its possible cure.
🌧️ 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗳𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱:
• A story that needed more time to develop.
• An ending that felt rushed and chaotic.
• Too many unanswered questions.
🎙️ 𝗡𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀:
Julian Elfer did an amazing job with this one. His voice was steady and engaging, and his delivery was spot on. I loved listening to him, even when I was struggling to follow what was happening!
⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5
𝘈 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺. 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴, 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘐 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯. 📖✨
Vampires, a spreading illness, and scientists trying to figure out what's going on? I was sold! I loved the idea behind this story and the world it introduced. I wanted to know more about the illness, whether the cure would work, and how everything fitted together. There was so much I wanted to explore, and I wasn't ready to leave just yet.
My biggest problem was that it all felt a bit rushed. The story is fairly short, and I think it could have been something really good with more room to develop. I wanted to spend more time with the symptoms, see the threat grow, and follow the fight against it. Instead, the ending suddenly went into overdrive, with action and death coming so quickly that I struggled to keep up. I was left with more questions than answers, which was a shame because I genuinely wanted to know more.
Still, I really liked the idea, and I'd happily have spent longer in this world. I just wish the story had given itself a little more breathing room.
✨ 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱:
• The unusual mix of vampires, science, and eco-horror.
• The world-building that left me wanting to know more.
• The mystery surrounding the illness and its possible cure.
🌧️ 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗳𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱:
• A story that needed more time to develop.
• An ending that felt rushed and chaotic.
• Too many unanswered questions.
🎙️ 𝗡𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀:
Julian Elfer did an amazing job with this one. His voice was steady and engaging, and his delivery was spot on. I loved listening to him, even when I was struggling to follow what was happening!
⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5
𝘈 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺. 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴, 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘐 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯. 📖✨
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Infection Points — Elena Pavlova
Infection Points by Elena Pavlova was a fun, very short audiobook that I was able to snag on NetGalley (thank you for the advance reader copy!). First, I have to be transparent: I'm also in the middle of reading Dracula in print (25% in) and listening to the newest Audible full-cast production of Dracula. So a vampire novella on Halloween was the right time, place, and subject for a fun little holiday read.
Now, the book itself. I haven't read this author before, but I'd be interested in reading more of her books if they're horror. She brings a really scientific, dark academia setting to the vampire genre. This novella drops you right into the plot with very light character development. I enjoyed it, but to be honest, I didn't get a lot from the characters.
That might be because the story is so short, or because I was reading several vampire stories at once. What I really enjoyed was the premise of the vampires: their habitats and how they fit within the world's ecosystem.
Humans (and let's face it, vampires are super-humans to a point) often see themselves as separate from the environment. Bringing vampires, and through them humans, back into the dynamic of an ecosystem was refreshing. The battles were great, and there was one altercation between the academics that I really, really enjoyed.
Without any spoilers, I think this is a good pick for horror enthusiasts looking for something a bit different, and in reading terms it's a very short, fast ride.
A quick, clever, ecologically minded bite of vampire horror. Recommended.
Infection Points by Elena Pavlova was a fun, very short audiobook that I was able to snag on NetGalley (thank you for the advance reader copy!). First, I have to be transparent: I'm also in the middle of reading Dracula in print (25% in) and listening to the newest Audible full-cast production of Dracula. So a vampire novella on Halloween was the right time, place, and subject for a fun little holiday read.
Now, the book itself. I haven't read this author before, but I'd be interested in reading more of her books if they're horror. She brings a really scientific, dark academia setting to the vampire genre. This novella drops you right into the plot with very light character development. I enjoyed it, but to be honest, I didn't get a lot from the characters.
That might be because the story is so short, or because I was reading several vampire stories at once. What I really enjoyed was the premise of the vampires: their habitats and how they fit within the world's ecosystem.
Humans (and let's face it, vampires are super-humans to a point) often see themselves as separate from the environment. Bringing vampires, and through them humans, back into the dynamic of an ecosystem was refreshing. The battles were great, and there was one altercation between the academics that I really, really enjoyed.
Without any spoilers, I think this is a good pick for horror enthusiasts looking for something a bit different, and in reading terms it's a very short, fast ride.
A quick, clever, ecologically minded bite of vampire horror. Recommended.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
You know how sometimes there'll be a person in front of a store with a plate of samples and they'll bring you in with a charming demeanor and a bite of delicious sweet that makes you want to go into the store but you wonder, would I really love this as much if I got more than this perfectly sized little experience of it?
Anyway this is what this very short novella feels like (in the best way!)
I LOVED this approach to vampires, as parts of their ecosystem that are studied and observed scientifically, because humans are curious about other species. I don't think I've ever read a vampire story that isn't a tale of monsters or monster hunting. SO interesting!
The novella starts without holding your hand, throwing you directly into this world and letting you learn and understand things as they happen or occur to the main character. It's similar to the experience you'd get browsing TV as a child and landing on a random episode of a show you've never seen before, captivating you for a short while, and then the episode ends and you'll never continue this story ever again.
An instant fave, I would love to read more novellas from this author because she really packed so many interesting ideas in such a short book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ruadán Books | Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Audiobooks for the opportunity to read this advanced copy. Infection Points comes out on November 10th, 2026.
Anyway this is what this very short novella feels like (in the best way!)
I LOVED this approach to vampires, as parts of their ecosystem that are studied and observed scientifically, because humans are curious about other species. I don't think I've ever read a vampire story that isn't a tale of monsters or monster hunting. SO interesting!
The novella starts without holding your hand, throwing you directly into this world and letting you learn and understand things as they happen or occur to the main character. It's similar to the experience you'd get browsing TV as a child and landing on a random episode of a show you've never seen before, captivating you for a short while, and then the episode ends and you'll never continue this story ever again.
An instant fave, I would love to read more novellas from this author because she really packed so many interesting ideas in such a short book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ruadán Books | Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Audiobooks for the opportunity to read this advanced copy. Infection Points comes out on November 10th, 2026.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was such an interesting take on Vampirism and has such potential for even a longer novel.
I really enjoyed the setting and the whole idea of entire organisations being built around the conservation and study of vampire populations and eventually the corruption within them.
I think that looking at Vampirism through a scientific lens gave this novella a really cool scope rather than the usual folklore/hidden-in-mystery and speculation type stories you see featuring vampires and it really worked for getting you invested in the plot!
While I love novellas I do think this story would have benefitted from being a novel where we could get to know the characters better and even get to delve into the worlds development more. I think then you would find the characters motivations much more understandable or organic and would work really well for what happened at the end.
As well as that, I felt I wanted to know more about the vampires themselves, especially Didi, who really felt like she was a character with hidden depth that, unfortunately, you didn't get to explore all that much.
However, I will say if you're looking for an interesting and a lesser explored idea of vampires then you would enjoy this as it is.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for this free eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed the setting and the whole idea of entire organisations being built around the conservation and study of vampire populations and eventually the corruption within them.
I think that looking at Vampirism through a scientific lens gave this novella a really cool scope rather than the usual folklore/hidden-in-mystery and speculation type stories you see featuring vampires and it really worked for getting you invested in the plot!
While I love novellas I do think this story would have benefitted from being a novel where we could get to know the characters better and even get to delve into the worlds development more. I think then you would find the characters motivations much more understandable or organic and would work really well for what happened at the end.
As well as that, I felt I wanted to know more about the vampires themselves, especially Didi, who really felt like she was a character with hidden depth that, unfortunately, you didn't get to explore all that much.
However, I will say if you're looking for an interesting and a lesser explored idea of vampires then you would enjoy this as it is.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for this free eARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 25, 2026
I want to start by thanking the publisher for this ARC.
I think this book has a really interesting premise and one I’ve never seen done in a vampire story. It treats the vampires like an endangered species and focuses on conservation efforts.
It’s also a quick read and managed to keep me engaged for most of the book.
I do feel, however, this could’ve benefited from some additional work on the cast and greater scene clarity.
There were a lot of characters, and because this book is so short many of them were incredibly underdeveloped. I wonder if some of them could’ve been combined. This would’ve given more scope for development and been less confusing.
Much of the characterization seemed to rely on what the characters were eating or drinking, and my attention started to drift at the many food descriptions.
Some of the scenes lacked focus. This may have been due to the sheer number of participants. I found myself confused at the final action scene in particular. There was a lot happening and I was unsure of who was doing what.
The ending was also a little bit abrupt. I think the book could’ve benefited from showing some of the aftermath.
That being said, I still had a good time with this and would recommend it to someone looking for a quick read with an unusual premise.
I think this book has a really interesting premise and one I’ve never seen done in a vampire story. It treats the vampires like an endangered species and focuses on conservation efforts.
It’s also a quick read and managed to keep me engaged for most of the book.
I do feel, however, this could’ve benefited from some additional work on the cast and greater scene clarity.
There were a lot of characters, and because this book is so short many of them were incredibly underdeveloped. I wonder if some of them could’ve been combined. This would’ve given more scope for development and been less confusing.
Much of the characterization seemed to rely on what the characters were eating or drinking, and my attention started to drift at the many food descriptions.
Some of the scenes lacked focus. This may have been due to the sheer number of participants. I found myself confused at the final action scene in particular. There was a lot happening and I was unsure of who was doing what.
The ending was also a little bit abrupt. I think the book could’ve benefited from showing some of the aftermath.
That being said, I still had a good time with this and would recommend it to someone looking for a quick read with an unusual premise.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
🌟 Overall Rating: 2.5/5
Star Rating Breakdown:
- Storyline: 3/5
- Character Development: 2/5
Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Infection Points offers a refreshingly unique take on vampire fiction by blending science, politics, and a fascinating Bulgarian setting, though its short runtime leaves some of its ambitious ideas underdeveloped.
I really enjoyed the core premise, but squeezing so many characters and complex themes into a 1 hour and 42-minute audiobook made the character development feel a bit rushed. The storyline is incredibly creative and would truly shine with a longer runtime to let the plot and character arcs breathe.
The narration itself carries a very strong storytelling impact, but the audio mixing has noticeable contrast issues. While I appreciated the dramatic dynamic range of the performance, the whispered lines were often too quiet to hear, and turning up the volume made the sudden, louder moments overpowering. This is a brilliant, science-heavy twist on vampire lore, but if you are sensitive to fluctuating audio, I highly recommend checking out an audio sample first or picking up the print or ebook version for the best reading experience.
Star Rating Breakdown:
- Storyline: 3/5
- Character Development: 2/5
Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Infection Points offers a refreshingly unique take on vampire fiction by blending science, politics, and a fascinating Bulgarian setting, though its short runtime leaves some of its ambitious ideas underdeveloped.
I really enjoyed the core premise, but squeezing so many characters and complex themes into a 1 hour and 42-minute audiobook made the character development feel a bit rushed. The storyline is incredibly creative and would truly shine with a longer runtime to let the plot and character arcs breathe.
The narration itself carries a very strong storytelling impact, but the audio mixing has noticeable contrast issues. While I appreciated the dramatic dynamic range of the performance, the whispered lines were often too quiet to hear, and turning up the volume made the sudden, louder moments overpowering. This is a brilliant, science-heavy twist on vampire lore, but if you are sensitive to fluctuating audio, I highly recommend checking out an audio sample first or picking up the print or ebook version for the best reading experience.
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