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Nocturnal #1
Nocturnal Blood
Anchorage, Alaska. A place where people don't care if someone goes missing. A place where Leia Walker tries her hardest to hide from the world, wanting a normal life without anxiety and OCD.
But Leia's bubble pops when an old friend is back in town and twists Leia’s reality . A bloody event proves what Leia is scared to learn—Sophie Gardner, her old high school friend and saviour from the bullies, is a vampire.
Forced to run away with Sophie, Leia's life takes a terrifying turn when vampires and hunters come after them.
The only thing preventing them from losing themselves is their friendship..
But will it be enough to escape the inevitable blood bath?
But Leia's bubble pops when an old friend is back in town and twists Leia’s reality . A bloody event proves what Leia is scared to learn—Sophie Gardner, her old high school friend and saviour from the bullies, is a vampire.
Forced to run away with Sophie, Leia's life takes a terrifying turn when vampires and hunters come after them.
The only thing preventing them from losing themselves is their friendship..
But will it be enough to escape the inevitable blood bath?
318 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 5, 2018
69 people are currently reading
321 people want to read
About the author
Villimey Mist
19 books152 followersVillimey has always been fascinated by vampires and horror, ever since she watched Bram Stoker's Dracula when she was a little, curious girl.
She loves to read and create stories that pop into her head unannounced.
She lives in Iceland with her husband and two cats, Skuggi and RoboCop, and is often busy drawing or watching the latest shows on Netflix.
She loves to read and create stories that pop into her head unannounced.
She lives in Iceland with her husband and two cats, Skuggi and RoboCop, and is often busy drawing or watching the latest shows on Netflix.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
December 11, 2018
I always get nervous reading a fellow Bookstagrammer's book - especially a debut novel at that. But how do you turn down a book about vampires? I mean, you just don't. A girl just trying to survive bullying in high school and life with her anxiety and OCD... enter someone who finally sticks up for her... a friend, the first person outside of her family that she trusts.... then that person disappears only to arrive back into her life with a bloody (literally) bang!
At first I wasn't entirely sure where this book was going to go. They're off and things keep happening left and right but where is the story actually going to head? Then it all comes together and I've gotta say, I was INVOLVED. Leia grew on me like mold on bread.... or something better... like moss on a stone... whatever, you know what I'm trying to say.
Listen y'all. This isn't just a vampire book, this is a story of getting over your fears, trust, a bond between two people and the lengths you'll go to help someone... and the journey along the way. The build of Leia and Sophie's relationship was fantastic to see grow page by page and I really loved some of the secondary characters as well. Though I'll tell you what, anytime a hotel seems like the deal is too good to be true, your bet your ass I'm fleeing to the next establishment!
I don't know if it's that the writing got better as the book continued, if I was just getting more involved with the characters or if it was the wine I was drinking in honor of the blood being spilt amongst the pages... but I found myself thoroughly involved into the second half.
A solid, thundering bloody good debut novel. (seven claps 😉)
Big shout out to the author - thank you SO much for this advanced copy <3
At first I wasn't entirely sure where this book was going to go. They're off and things keep happening left and right but where is the story actually going to head? Then it all comes together and I've gotta say, I was INVOLVED. Leia grew on me like mold on bread.... or something better... like moss on a stone... whatever, you know what I'm trying to say.
Listen y'all. This isn't just a vampire book, this is a story of getting over your fears, trust, a bond between two people and the lengths you'll go to help someone... and the journey along the way. The build of Leia and Sophie's relationship was fantastic to see grow page by page and I really loved some of the secondary characters as well. Though I'll tell you what, anytime a hotel seems like the deal is too good to be true, your bet your ass I'm fleeing to the next establishment!
I don't know if it's that the writing got better as the book continued, if I was just getting more involved with the characters or if it was the wine I was drinking in honor of the blood being spilt amongst the pages... but I found myself thoroughly involved into the second half.
A solid, thundering bloody good debut novel. (seven claps 😉)
Big shout out to the author - thank you SO much for this advanced copy <3
January 25, 2022
Vampires, old school
I really enjoyed Nocturnal Blood by Villimey Mist. Right from the start, I got caught up in the many quirks of the main character, Leia. I found it drew me into the story and prepared the stage for what was to come and really brought the character to life.
I was also impressed with the vampire world she created. These were certainly not the romantic type of vampire but savage monsters without remorse.
The book flowed well, and with several twists and a jaw dropping ending, I found it hard to put down. I highly recommend it.
I really enjoyed Nocturnal Blood by Villimey Mist. Right from the start, I got caught up in the many quirks of the main character, Leia. I found it drew me into the story and prepared the stage for what was to come and really brought the character to life.
I was also impressed with the vampire world she created. These were certainly not the romantic type of vampire but savage monsters without remorse.
The book flowed well, and with several twists and a jaw dropping ending, I found it hard to put down. I highly recommend it.
March 2, 2021
** Edited as review is now live on Kendall Reviews! **
3.5/5
One thing I’ve come to find is that there are two distinct groups of indie authors. One group of authors frequently tweets/posts about their releases, while the other very seldom does. Now, I’m not saying either is a bad thing (I typically fall into the seldom category), but because of this, oftentimes I’ll have no idea that someone I interact with frequently and engage with on social media even has a book out, let alone two!
Such was the case with Villimey Mist. It was only last week that I saw her sharing some info on her debut – Nocturnal Blood – and I felt like a jerk for not having shown it any support before then. I snagged it off Amazon and immediately dove in.
What I liked: ‘Nocturnal Blood’ follows Leia, a young woman who struggles with her OCD tendencies and constant anxiety. She lives with her family (parents and brother) in Alaska. While in high school, she meets Sophie and becomes good friends. Unfortunately, Sophie moves away and they lose touch. It isn’t until Sophie returns while a few horrific murders have occurred that things take a turn.
Vampire based fiction has never really been something I enjoy or seek out, but Mist does a great job of creating tension throughout and making this a survival story about two friends who’ll do whatever it takes to protect the other one. When Sophie and Leia are forced to flee, we get some great, emotionally charged scenes and can feel the bond the two of them have.
The vampire lore here is great, and as the story goes on, Mist keeps the gore coming and the buckets of blood splattering. The ending is a gut punch and Mist sets it up to be read either as a stand-alone or as the first in the series, which I always appreciate for novels.
What I didn’t like: I struggled with a lot of Leia’s dialogue. I had a tough time determining if she was 12 or 22, which really threw me for a loop in some scenes. I’m not sure if it was supposed to be due to her tendencies or naivety to the world, but I felt like she frequently returned to being completely innocent and shocked, even if it was moments after killing a blood-thirsty creature.
Why you should buy this: This was a great opening chapter to what looks like a trilogy at this point. Mist fills this with tension, carnage and drama and we get some great secondary characters along the way. I think this is a perfect introduction to Mist’s work and if you’re a fan of vampire fiction, this will be a fun one right up your alley.
3.5/5
One thing I’ve come to find is that there are two distinct groups of indie authors. One group of authors frequently tweets/posts about their releases, while the other very seldom does. Now, I’m not saying either is a bad thing (I typically fall into the seldom category), but because of this, oftentimes I’ll have no idea that someone I interact with frequently and engage with on social media even has a book out, let alone two!
Such was the case with Villimey Mist. It was only last week that I saw her sharing some info on her debut – Nocturnal Blood – and I felt like a jerk for not having shown it any support before then. I snagged it off Amazon and immediately dove in.
What I liked: ‘Nocturnal Blood’ follows Leia, a young woman who struggles with her OCD tendencies and constant anxiety. She lives with her family (parents and brother) in Alaska. While in high school, she meets Sophie and becomes good friends. Unfortunately, Sophie moves away and they lose touch. It isn’t until Sophie returns while a few horrific murders have occurred that things take a turn.
Vampire based fiction has never really been something I enjoy or seek out, but Mist does a great job of creating tension throughout and making this a survival story about two friends who’ll do whatever it takes to protect the other one. When Sophie and Leia are forced to flee, we get some great, emotionally charged scenes and can feel the bond the two of them have.
The vampire lore here is great, and as the story goes on, Mist keeps the gore coming and the buckets of blood splattering. The ending is a gut punch and Mist sets it up to be read either as a stand-alone or as the first in the series, which I always appreciate for novels.
What I didn’t like: I struggled with a lot of Leia’s dialogue. I had a tough time determining if she was 12 or 22, which really threw me for a loop in some scenes. I’m not sure if it was supposed to be due to her tendencies or naivety to the world, but I felt like she frequently returned to being completely innocent and shocked, even if it was moments after killing a blood-thirsty creature.
Why you should buy this: This was a great opening chapter to what looks like a trilogy at this point. Mist fills this with tension, carnage and drama and we get some great secondary characters along the way. I think this is a perfect introduction to Mist’s work and if you’re a fan of vampire fiction, this will be a fun one right up your alley.
September 26, 2020
Review updated as now on STORGY
Nocturnal Blood is book one in the Nocturnal series and judging by book one this is going to be one hell of a ride. Nocturnal Blood is a vampire book, no, don’t you shrug your shoulders, it’s not a vampire book about teenage angst and shiny vampires with oiled muscle and chiseled good looks, it’s bleak, it’s edgy, it’s dark and oh so bloody.
I wouldn’t say I was a fan of vampire fiction, although I’ve enjoyed them and I’ve read my fair share; from Ann Rice, to John Ajvid Lindqvist, Stephen King to Bram Stoker and Richard Matheson and also Steve Niles (30 Days of Night) – but it’s not a genre I seek out to read often, I normally just stumble upon them.
You can also say that people of our generation have also been influence heavily by vampire mythology in films – such as Twilight (Oh dear… I think I just threw up in my mouth just mentioning that), DayBreakers, Underworld, Blade, From Dusk ‘Till Dawn – there are hundreds of them, and let’s not forget the hugely successful Buffy the Vampire Slayer TV show (I’m putting this out there, I was never a fan!). So as a generation we’ve seen and read our fair share of vampires, is this genre now becoming a bit overused? Is the it tired and in need of a rest? Is there space for yet another series and another reimagining of this classic and much loved ‘monster‘?
Nocturnal Blood is something very different from the rest and I feel that Villimey Mist might just have just piqued my interest in this recently burnt out genre, and I’ll be damn sure to follow this series through to what I can only assume will be a hugely bloody and brutal conclusion – the vampiric genre is in safe hands people, trust me!
Nocturnal Blood read like it was a YA book (young adult), but I feel that this was mainly in part to the youngish protagonists we are following (Leia and Sophie) and the ease of the language that is used by Mist, it’s easy on the eye and easy on the brain and has a readability to it that is so simple and enjoyable. I said YA, but I’m talking the high end YA here, books and series like The Hunger Games, Maze Runner, Noughts and Crosses and the Home for Peculiar Children series. Trust me Mist, this is a huge compliment to you as a writer, because I’ve loved these books (all of them I read as an adult too), they all, like Nocturnal Blood, tread that fine line between top end YA (with the themes and topics covered) and full blown adult horror.
But Nocturnal Blood in my opinion probably couldn’t fit into the YA bracket as it has some very graphic stuff in there. There are also some hints at rape and other sexual exploits – and give Villimey Mist her dues, these are dealt with with perfection, we don’t see the sordid details, we don’t get graphic scenes, but these are alluded to in fine prose that gets us the gruesome facts without us having to watch it all unfold.
Violence doesn’t worry me anymore. It happens all around and I know there’s nothing I can do to stop it. In my hometown of Anchorage, Alaska, news about another war or another violent shooting has become part of the daily routine. We have the highest crime rate in the country, with 813 violent crimes per 100,000 residents – hearing there’s been another murder or that another person has gone missing doesn’t surprise me anymore. I’ve seen those acts of violence happen to others. They’ve happened to me as well.
The above quote is from the opening of the book. Nocturnal Blood centres around two young protagonists Leia (yes she is named after the Star Wars princess) and Sophie – friend’s since childhood. Sophie’s parents suddenly decide to move away and so Sophie and Leia’s friendship unfortunately ends too; they try to stay in contact but soon after leaving the letters Leia sends are not answered.
Fast forward a few years and Leia is at University, she’s an awkward soul and a loner (Sophie was her only friend in the whole world, a person that knew her insecurities and didn’t judge her for them) – Leia’s anxieties, hygiene fears and facial tics put her on everyones radar, and they avoid this strange girl like the plague. On her way home one night Leia decides to take a short cut, it’s late, and she needs to get home before the enforced curfew. Recently a couple of bodies have turned up with their heads missing and blood drained, the police are concerned that this is no isolated incident and so have introduced this enforced lockdown. So, Leia takes the short cut through an alleyway at an attempt at beating the clock, where she is abruptly stopped as a man sets about mugging her at gunpoint; that is, until Sophie shows up, and then all bloody hell breaks loose!
What happens next is a sprawling narrative that takes us on a blood drenched road trip to Seattle where Sophie must go to clear her name and find the possibility of protection from the vampire council and vampire hunters that are seeking to pass their own judgement over Sophies gruesome crimes. Think of a vampiric Bonnie and Clyde buddy movie but with a higher body count and a lot more blood, gore and graphic violence and directed by David Fincher and you’d be in the right ball park!
I did have some concerns as the story progressed early on with regards to our main characters. I found the two protagonists hard to enjoy, everything between them just seemed all too simplified and easy. ‘oh you’re a vampire now, that’s cool‘ (my own words). It for me just seemed that there wasn’t much concern, worry or much anxiety about this whole thing from a very anxious girl we have in Leia (we see her anxiety come to the fore a lot in this book) – and when Leia is told she needs to leave her parents and go with Sophie on this trip – it all just seemed too easy in my head.
What I enjoyed about this book is that although Villimey has borrowed from the greats, from the vampiric lore and many adaptations – she has written a book that is unique in its portrayal of the vampiric, she’s added her own conventions and lore and they work tremendously well. I would assume it would be very difficult to come up with something as unique as Nocturnal Blood in this over crowded and over saturated genre but Villimey Mist has pulled it off and created a tremendous vampiric beast to add to the canon of vampire fiction – she deserves to be up there with the very best in this field such is the offering we have here.
I’d compare the bloody violence, gore and creeping unease in this book with the work of John Ajvide Lindqvist and his works of Let The Right One In and Handling the Undead – it was graphic, gory and absolutely fabulous. At times it was hard to read, but that’s what I wan’t, I don’t want some small spatter, I want to be drenched in all the chunks, blood and filth.
Villimey absolutely destroys the reader in the last few chapters (The Unforgettable Beach was a masterclass) showcasing her remarkable talent – and also ensnaring the reader in wanting to follow this series wherever she will lead it. A remarkable first book in a series, and I’m strapped in for the ride, you better too because I think this is going to get a lot more dark before this whole thing is over!
Villimey Mist conjures up the work of past masters whilst adding her own brilliance to the vampiric mythology in this fabulously woven debut. Mist’s writing is insidious, gritty and raw, blending perfectly the readability of YA with the full out gore and depravity of adult horror.
Nocturnal Blood is book one in the Nocturnal series and judging by book one this is going to be one hell of a ride. Nocturnal Blood is a vampire book, no, don’t you shrug your shoulders, it’s not a vampire book about teenage angst and shiny vampires with oiled muscle and chiseled good looks, it’s bleak, it’s edgy, it’s dark and oh so bloody.
I wouldn’t say I was a fan of vampire fiction, although I’ve enjoyed them and I’ve read my fair share; from Ann Rice, to John Ajvid Lindqvist, Stephen King to Bram Stoker and Richard Matheson and also Steve Niles (30 Days of Night) – but it’s not a genre I seek out to read often, I normally just stumble upon them.
You can also say that people of our generation have also been influence heavily by vampire mythology in films – such as Twilight (Oh dear… I think I just threw up in my mouth just mentioning that), DayBreakers, Underworld, Blade, From Dusk ‘Till Dawn – there are hundreds of them, and let’s not forget the hugely successful Buffy the Vampire Slayer TV show (I’m putting this out there, I was never a fan!). So as a generation we’ve seen and read our fair share of vampires, is this genre now becoming a bit overused? Is the it tired and in need of a rest? Is there space for yet another series and another reimagining of this classic and much loved ‘monster‘?
Nocturnal Blood is something very different from the rest and I feel that Villimey Mist might just have just piqued my interest in this recently burnt out genre, and I’ll be damn sure to follow this series through to what I can only assume will be a hugely bloody and brutal conclusion – the vampiric genre is in safe hands people, trust me!
Nocturnal Blood read like it was a YA book (young adult), but I feel that this was mainly in part to the youngish protagonists we are following (Leia and Sophie) and the ease of the language that is used by Mist, it’s easy on the eye and easy on the brain and has a readability to it that is so simple and enjoyable. I said YA, but I’m talking the high end YA here, books and series like The Hunger Games, Maze Runner, Noughts and Crosses and the Home for Peculiar Children series. Trust me Mist, this is a huge compliment to you as a writer, because I’ve loved these books (all of them I read as an adult too), they all, like Nocturnal Blood, tread that fine line between top end YA (with the themes and topics covered) and full blown adult horror.
But Nocturnal Blood in my opinion probably couldn’t fit into the YA bracket as it has some very graphic stuff in there. There are also some hints at rape and other sexual exploits – and give Villimey Mist her dues, these are dealt with with perfection, we don’t see the sordid details, we don’t get graphic scenes, but these are alluded to in fine prose that gets us the gruesome facts without us having to watch it all unfold.
Violence doesn’t worry me anymore. It happens all around and I know there’s nothing I can do to stop it. In my hometown of Anchorage, Alaska, news about another war or another violent shooting has become part of the daily routine. We have the highest crime rate in the country, with 813 violent crimes per 100,000 residents – hearing there’s been another murder or that another person has gone missing doesn’t surprise me anymore. I’ve seen those acts of violence happen to others. They’ve happened to me as well.
The above quote is from the opening of the book. Nocturnal Blood centres around two young protagonists Leia (yes she is named after the Star Wars princess) and Sophie – friend’s since childhood. Sophie’s parents suddenly decide to move away and so Sophie and Leia’s friendship unfortunately ends too; they try to stay in contact but soon after leaving the letters Leia sends are not answered.
Fast forward a few years and Leia is at University, she’s an awkward soul and a loner (Sophie was her only friend in the whole world, a person that knew her insecurities and didn’t judge her for them) – Leia’s anxieties, hygiene fears and facial tics put her on everyones radar, and they avoid this strange girl like the plague. On her way home one night Leia decides to take a short cut, it’s late, and she needs to get home before the enforced curfew. Recently a couple of bodies have turned up with their heads missing and blood drained, the police are concerned that this is no isolated incident and so have introduced this enforced lockdown. So, Leia takes the short cut through an alleyway at an attempt at beating the clock, where she is abruptly stopped as a man sets about mugging her at gunpoint; that is, until Sophie shows up, and then all bloody hell breaks loose!
What happens next is a sprawling narrative that takes us on a blood drenched road trip to Seattle where Sophie must go to clear her name and find the possibility of protection from the vampire council and vampire hunters that are seeking to pass their own judgement over Sophies gruesome crimes. Think of a vampiric Bonnie and Clyde buddy movie but with a higher body count and a lot more blood, gore and graphic violence and directed by David Fincher and you’d be in the right ball park!
I did have some concerns as the story progressed early on with regards to our main characters. I found the two protagonists hard to enjoy, everything between them just seemed all too simplified and easy. ‘oh you’re a vampire now, that’s cool‘ (my own words). It for me just seemed that there wasn’t much concern, worry or much anxiety about this whole thing from a very anxious girl we have in Leia (we see her anxiety come to the fore a lot in this book) – and when Leia is told she needs to leave her parents and go with Sophie on this trip – it all just seemed too easy in my head.
What I enjoyed about this book is that although Villimey has borrowed from the greats, from the vampiric lore and many adaptations – she has written a book that is unique in its portrayal of the vampiric, she’s added her own conventions and lore and they work tremendously well. I would assume it would be very difficult to come up with something as unique as Nocturnal Blood in this over crowded and over saturated genre but Villimey Mist has pulled it off and created a tremendous vampiric beast to add to the canon of vampire fiction – she deserves to be up there with the very best in this field such is the offering we have here.
I’d compare the bloody violence, gore and creeping unease in this book with the work of John Ajvide Lindqvist and his works of Let The Right One In and Handling the Undead – it was graphic, gory and absolutely fabulous. At times it was hard to read, but that’s what I wan’t, I don’t want some small spatter, I want to be drenched in all the chunks, blood and filth.
Villimey absolutely destroys the reader in the last few chapters (The Unforgettable Beach was a masterclass) showcasing her remarkable talent – and also ensnaring the reader in wanting to follow this series wherever she will lead it. A remarkable first book in a series, and I’m strapped in for the ride, you better too because I think this is going to get a lot more dark before this whole thing is over!
Villimey Mist conjures up the work of past masters whilst adding her own brilliance to the vampiric mythology in this fabulously woven debut. Mist’s writing is insidious, gritty and raw, blending perfectly the readability of YA with the full out gore and depravity of adult horror.
January 20, 2019
First of all, let's look at the cover and have a moment here, okay? It appeals to me despite the gory details. The color combo and composition are an absolute win.
Anyway, we're here for a review and not for someone's bookstagram aesthetics, aren't we? So, the plot. It centers on two teenagers/people in their university years but the lack of romance fortunately makes it way more than a sappy YA novel because there's enought blood flowing in there to fill a small creek, trust me. The main character is an unfortunate being limited by her OCD, anxiety and quirks. And into her predictable world where everything has a given rhythm, steps a long-lost friend who happens to be a vampire now and takes her on a "road trip" full of violence, death and bonding.
Despite the plot revolving only around two characters, there's always something going on and you have the feeling that even though the path is quite clear, you'll be surprised by some sneaky little secret at the end. Which you will.
I'd say it's not a bad start at writing vampire fiction because it always makes my black stone-cold heart happy when a new author of vampire fiction appears and makes bloodsuckers what they were intended to be in the first place - merciless predators who won't let go once they've seen what they like, not some wimpy sparkly parodies.
Anyway, we're here for a review and not for someone's bookstagram aesthetics, aren't we? So, the plot. It centers on two teenagers/people in their university years but the lack of romance fortunately makes it way more than a sappy YA novel because there's enought blood flowing in there to fill a small creek, trust me. The main character is an unfortunate being limited by her OCD, anxiety and quirks. And into her predictable world where everything has a given rhythm, steps a long-lost friend who happens to be a vampire now and takes her on a "road trip" full of violence, death and bonding.
Despite the plot revolving only around two characters, there's always something going on and you have the feeling that even though the path is quite clear, you'll be surprised by some sneaky little secret at the end. Which you will.
I'd say it's not a bad start at writing vampire fiction because it always makes my black stone-cold heart happy when a new author of vampire fiction appears and makes bloodsuckers what they were intended to be in the first place - merciless predators who won't let go once they've seen what they like, not some wimpy sparkly parodies.
January 9, 2021
It's always a little bit of a nail biter when I'm asked to review a fellow bookstagrammer's debut novel. I know how much hard work goes into producing a book, and what it feels like waiting for those first reviews. Many thanks to the author for an advanced copy.
Nocturnal Blood is a novel about vampires. But it's also a novel about friendship and loyalty and how we face fear when our world is tipped upside down.
Leia is a girl who suffers from anxiety and OCD, the quiet mouse in school the bullies pick upon. Until Sophie arrives on the scene. What happens next tumbles them both into a situation where, their lives are, quite literally, on the line.
I wasn't sure at first about this book, but found myself reading faster as I passed the halfway stage. There's a character who appears in the second half I really like, and he fits seamlessly into the mix.
This is a strong, well executed, character driven debut, and I'm looking forward to seeing what the author does next!
Nocturnal Blood is a novel about vampires. But it's also a novel about friendship and loyalty and how we face fear when our world is tipped upside down.
Leia is a girl who suffers from anxiety and OCD, the quiet mouse in school the bullies pick upon. Until Sophie arrives on the scene. What happens next tumbles them both into a situation where, their lives are, quite literally, on the line.
I wasn't sure at first about this book, but found myself reading faster as I passed the halfway stage. There's a character who appears in the second half I really like, and he fits seamlessly into the mix.
This is a strong, well executed, character driven debut, and I'm looking forward to seeing what the author does next!
May 3, 2021
Video review https://youtu.be/qxDIL_rVKBM
February 15, 2022
Villimey has been on my radar for a while now. I’ve read a couple of pieces from her in anthologies, notably “Tupperware Party” in “Slash Her”, which is due to be released in March I believe (great short, highly entertaining), and in WereTales – “Of Foxbites & Sorrow”, a poem, if I remember correctly. I knew her Nocturnal series was a vampire trilogy (I think the fourth is about to be released?), and whilst vampires aren’t my thing, indie authors are, and so, in for a pound, in for a penny as they say – I bought her trilogy a while back and this is the first in that series.
As one would suspect, the story was not at all what I had imagined. I think of vampire stories as the MC turning into a vampire, an origin story of sorts, and the ensuing story of coping with the changes and adapting to life as a vampire. Not so the case here, where the MC is a “friend” of a girl that has been turned into a vampire. This vampire is sought out and on the run from other vampires, and she brings the MC (a girl that has OCD elements to her make-up that add quirks to the adventure) on a road-trip type journey, fleeing from her pursuers and they head toward another vampire that might possibly help them.
So – what did I think about it?
There’s an undeniably YA feel to the novel, which is interspersed with graphic descriptions of violence. The mix is probably 80% YA road trip with a vampire to 20% vampire blood and gore. And it works – the novel speeds along with Mist’s friendly MC and her quirks making very light reading.
I think it fair to say that Villimey has written aspects of her own life onto the MC – I know from her YouTube and TikTok content that Villimey is friendly and has an optimistic outlook on life – and here, she has made her MC (Leia) a smaller likable woman. I’m not going to hazard a guess that the personality of Villimey and Leia are similar, but I would guess that their perspectives on life are similar,. Interestingly (to me) Villimey made the decision to make her MC passive. A lot of things happen around and to Leia, but I think it is fair to say that she is saved by other people’s attachment to her, through her personality and honesty, not through her own actions. Leia is very aware of her own “failings” (her own evaluation of her quirks I believe – something which she is embarrassed by and tries to suppress), yet it is those “quirks” that endear her to other characters. There’s a sense that she is apologizing for being herself, an insecurity that colors everything in the book.
So – actually, the complete opposite of me (Leo, confident, strong sense of "take me as I am), which of course makes it fascinating. Frustrating sometimes, yes. But fascinating.
It’s a character-driven novel, the world of vampires and its many rules explored by a character with no interest in further involvement in that world. That’s what makes this an interesting break from the norm. Mist manages to layer the world-building in here as a framework for several novels, and though the novel ties itself off at the end for the casual tourist, there are hints at how the series will continue. The brutality, when Mist allows it airtime, is well done and appealed to me, though I wished there could have been more. There was a lot of talk of what the vampires could do, but they were pretty well restrained in this novel, the threat implied but withheld. Perhaps in the next one…
I’m giving this 4 out of 5 ⭐‘s, and want to give praise for a couple of things - the excellent editing on the novel, the cover which sets the mood, I liked her voice, I liked being surprised by a road trip when I hadn’t expected one. There's actually not a lot here not to like.
Though Vampires are still not my thing, I felt pretty comfortable here.
Good work, Villimey.
As one would suspect, the story was not at all what I had imagined. I think of vampire stories as the MC turning into a vampire, an origin story of sorts, and the ensuing story of coping with the changes and adapting to life as a vampire. Not so the case here, where the MC is a “friend” of a girl that has been turned into a vampire. This vampire is sought out and on the run from other vampires, and she brings the MC (a girl that has OCD elements to her make-up that add quirks to the adventure) on a road-trip type journey, fleeing from her pursuers and they head toward another vampire that might possibly help them.
So – what did I think about it?
There’s an undeniably YA feel to the novel, which is interspersed with graphic descriptions of violence. The mix is probably 80% YA road trip with a vampire to 20% vampire blood and gore. And it works – the novel speeds along with Mist’s friendly MC and her quirks making very light reading.
I think it fair to say that Villimey has written aspects of her own life onto the MC – I know from her YouTube and TikTok content that Villimey is friendly and has an optimistic outlook on life – and here, she has made her MC (Leia) a smaller likable woman. I’m not going to hazard a guess that the personality of Villimey and Leia are similar, but I would guess that their perspectives on life are similar,. Interestingly (to me) Villimey made the decision to make her MC passive. A lot of things happen around and to Leia, but I think it is fair to say that she is saved by other people’s attachment to her, through her personality and honesty, not through her own actions. Leia is very aware of her own “failings” (her own evaluation of her quirks I believe – something which she is embarrassed by and tries to suppress), yet it is those “quirks” that endear her to other characters. There’s a sense that she is apologizing for being herself, an insecurity that colors everything in the book.
So – actually, the complete opposite of me (Leo, confident, strong sense of "take me as I am), which of course makes it fascinating. Frustrating sometimes, yes. But fascinating.
It’s a character-driven novel, the world of vampires and its many rules explored by a character with no interest in further involvement in that world. That’s what makes this an interesting break from the norm. Mist manages to layer the world-building in here as a framework for several novels, and though the novel ties itself off at the end for the casual tourist, there are hints at how the series will continue. The brutality, when Mist allows it airtime, is well done and appealed to me, though I wished there could have been more. There was a lot of talk of what the vampires could do, but they were pretty well restrained in this novel, the threat implied but withheld. Perhaps in the next one…
I’m giving this 4 out of 5 ⭐‘s, and want to give praise for a couple of things - the excellent editing on the novel, the cover which sets the mood, I liked her voice, I liked being surprised by a road trip when I hadn’t expected one. There's actually not a lot here not to like.
Though Vampires are still not my thing, I felt pretty comfortable here.
Good work, Villimey.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 22, 2021
Nocturnal Blood 'is a vampire road trip book set in Alaska in our time.
After Leia lost contact with her only real friend Sophie, she is shocked when her friend reappears as a vampire years later. But she knows even less that this encounter will send her on a chaotic road trip to stay alive.
While I really liked Leia and I suffered with her, it took me almost to the end, until I warmed up to Sophie. I suppose that was mainly due to the fact that Sophie was still a teenager from her behavior. That was understandable within the world, but it resulted in the majority of the book not completely pulling me in. I could tell that especially from the fact that as soon as another character joined the group, I was much more invested in the story. But that is mainly personal taste.
All in all, the characters were very well written. Sophie and Leia's characters were completely different and yet their friendship was understandable. The way Sophie deals with Leia's OCD and anxiety attacks were the places I liked her the most. On the other hand, it was interesting to read how Leia deals with her difficulties.
The setting of the scenes was very good and described in a way that I could get a good picture of the surroundings. And that although you usually didn't spend long in one place, due to the nature of the story. The only thing that bothered me about the road trip format was that after a while it got a bit hard to believe that the two of them were moving from one difficulty to the next. But that completely made up for the end for me.
In fact, the last few chapters made me raise the number of stars from three to four. How can I deny four stars to a book that brought tears to my eyes and in the end left me wishing to learn more.
If you like stories about vampires, friendship and road trips, but are not averse to gruesome descriptions and blood, you should take a look. I ended up having a lot of fun, and I will follow the series for more than one character.
After Leia lost contact with her only real friend Sophie, she is shocked when her friend reappears as a vampire years later. But she knows even less that this encounter will send her on a chaotic road trip to stay alive.
While I really liked Leia and I suffered with her, it took me almost to the end, until I warmed up to Sophie. I suppose that was mainly due to the fact that Sophie was still a teenager from her behavior. That was understandable within the world, but it resulted in the majority of the book not completely pulling me in. I could tell that especially from the fact that as soon as another character joined the group, I was much more invested in the story. But that is mainly personal taste.
All in all, the characters were very well written. Sophie and Leia's characters were completely different and yet their friendship was understandable. The way Sophie deals with Leia's OCD and anxiety attacks were the places I liked her the most. On the other hand, it was interesting to read how Leia deals with her difficulties.
The setting of the scenes was very good and described in a way that I could get a good picture of the surroundings. And that although you usually didn't spend long in one place, due to the nature of the story. The only thing that bothered me about the road trip format was that after a while it got a bit hard to believe that the two of them were moving from one difficulty to the next. But that completely made up for the end for me.
In fact, the last few chapters made me raise the number of stars from three to four. How can I deny four stars to a book that brought tears to my eyes and in the end left me wishing to learn more.
If you like stories about vampires, friendship and road trips, but are not averse to gruesome descriptions and blood, you should take a look. I ended up having a lot of fun, and I will follow the series for more than one character.
December 1, 2022
Nocturnal Blood is a vampire book like no other. I love vampires in fiction and as a a result have read so many books based on vampires. I adore Anne Rice, Dracula and even Twilight (sorry) but this book is so different to those. This is a horror book with a lot of heart and tenderness that left me with a tear in my eye.
Technically Nocturnal Blood is a Young Adult novel but I feel it's an adult book it deals with some very adult themes which are portrayed in a really touching way. Vilimey's writing really drew me in, it felt really feel. I really identified with Leia a lonely young woman who, because she's an introvert, doesn't quite fit in with her peers at school which leads to her being brutally bullied. I loved how Sophie, how friend, was her polar opposite a loud extrovert young woman who also doesn't quite fit in because she's too headstrong. They're both destined to live on the outskirts of society but they can brace their outcast status together. What one girl lacks the other possesses in abundance and vice versa making them a strong team.
It's Sophie's and Leia's relationship that really drives the book. There's some very comic moments between the two of them.
After being friends at high school and then drifting apart, trouble unites them once more, they are forced to run away in the dead of night. There were so many Thelma and Louise vibes as they head north in a small car with limited supplies. The writing is really graphic and I felt like I was there with them.
This book swings effortlessly from being really heartfelt and tender to bloody and brutal like you would expect in a vampire novel. People who enjoyed Let The Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist would really love this too!
The ending was really spectacular and I'm really interested to see where this story will go in Book 2 Nocturnal Farm
Technically Nocturnal Blood is a Young Adult novel but I feel it's an adult book it deals with some very adult themes which are portrayed in a really touching way. Vilimey's writing really drew me in, it felt really feel. I really identified with Leia a lonely young woman who, because she's an introvert, doesn't quite fit in with her peers at school which leads to her being brutally bullied. I loved how Sophie, how friend, was her polar opposite a loud extrovert young woman who also doesn't quite fit in because she's too headstrong. They're both destined to live on the outskirts of society but they can brace their outcast status together. What one girl lacks the other possesses in abundance and vice versa making them a strong team.
It's Sophie's and Leia's relationship that really drives the book. There's some very comic moments between the two of them.
After being friends at high school and then drifting apart, trouble unites them once more, they are forced to run away in the dead of night. There were so many Thelma and Louise vibes as they head north in a small car with limited supplies. The writing is really graphic and I felt like I was there with them.
This book swings effortlessly from being really heartfelt and tender to bloody and brutal like you would expect in a vampire novel. People who enjoyed Let The Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist would really love this too!
The ending was really spectacular and I'm really interested to see where this story will go in Book 2 Nocturnal Farm
January 9, 2020
I was passed a copy of this book by the author for an honest review.
Hey review seeker, I know what you're thinking. Vampires, YA protagonist, adventure. This is just a rip off of all those other books, right?
Well, no. Absolutely not. Like many others who lived through a 00s vampire saturated market, I too had become bored with the genre. But this was the ideal book to pick up as my first read for 2020.
This is a part gripping adventure story, part road trip, part thriller and part vampire novel. It blends all of those elements perfectly by knowing when to slow down and when to up the pace. All the while, the reader is as alert to the dangers facing the two protagonists even when the characters themselves are not.
Talking of the two characters, I love it when their personalities are a source of conflict and one of the risks facing the characters. These are two quite different people and just like the other elements, it works completely, sometimes creating the tension in an otherwise safe environment. When characters are too much in tune or worse - too similar - it makes for a boring tale.
Nocturnal Blood is one of the best indy books I've ever read in years and I have read some amazing examples of small press and self-published work. It's also one of the most original vampire novels I've read in years despite that so many elements are comfortably familiar. The important thing here is that it is familiar while being in no way derivative.
I'm already looking forward to book 2.
Hey review seeker, I know what you're thinking. Vampires, YA protagonist, adventure. This is just a rip off of all those other books, right?
Well, no. Absolutely not. Like many others who lived through a 00s vampire saturated market, I too had become bored with the genre. But this was the ideal book to pick up as my first read for 2020.
This is a part gripping adventure story, part road trip, part thriller and part vampire novel. It blends all of those elements perfectly by knowing when to slow down and when to up the pace. All the while, the reader is as alert to the dangers facing the two protagonists even when the characters themselves are not.
Talking of the two characters, I love it when their personalities are a source of conflict and one of the risks facing the characters. These are two quite different people and just like the other elements, it works completely, sometimes creating the tension in an otherwise safe environment. When characters are too much in tune or worse - too similar - it makes for a boring tale.
Nocturnal Blood is one of the best indy books I've ever read in years and I have read some amazing examples of small press and self-published work. It's also one of the most original vampire novels I've read in years despite that so many elements are comfortably familiar. The important thing here is that it is familiar while being in no way derivative.
I'm already looking forward to book 2.
October 25, 2019
A Vicious Delight.
I’ve read, watched, role-played, and wrote about vampires for over 30 years. Recently I stumbled upon this title and figured it would be another mediocre tale about my favorite kind of monster. I was wrong. This novel is one of the best vampire stories I’ve ever read. It has well thought out lore, savage and sophistication, heartfelt moments of character development, and just the right amount of uniqueness to break away but still pay tribute to the genre. I anxiously look forward to more from this author’s world.
I’ve read, watched, role-played, and wrote about vampires for over 30 years. Recently I stumbled upon this title and figured it would be another mediocre tale about my favorite kind of monster. I was wrong. This novel is one of the best vampire stories I’ve ever read. It has well thought out lore, savage and sophistication, heartfelt moments of character development, and just the right amount of uniqueness to break away but still pay tribute to the genre. I anxiously look forward to more from this author’s world.
August 2, 2020
A sister's love. When Kris is accidentally exposed to the world of vampires, her sister saves her. In this revisit to the classic vampire tale, we learn that sometimes a monster has feelings. I really enjoyed this book, it was an intense rean.
September 25, 2021
This book is the first in a series, it’s protagonist Leia Walker struggles with anxiety, and OCD, and also problems with bullies at school until she meets Sophie Gardner. The two become fast friends until Sophie has to move, and that move of course separates them. They are reunited however four years later when Sophie unexpectedly comes back into Leia‘s life. When they are reunited Leia learns the unbelievable fact that Sophie is now a vampire. The story then deals with the two girls on the run together trying to evade vampires that are coming after them; Sophie because she has committed a crime in the vampire world, and Leia because of course she knows too much.
I loved the tweaks that the author made to the standard vampire rules and of course I liked the way the laws of their fictional universe were explained by Sophie to Leia it came very naturally to the flow of the story. As the story follows these two girls on their run from the vampires that are pursuing them I also really liked the character development, and the relationship that there was between the girls. There’s a real sense of connection and friendship between the girls as they struggle together. I also liked how Leia’s character deals with her OCD and anxiety over the course of the novel. The story is fast paced and full of scares and problems along the way for the girls to struggle through. I thoroughly enjoyed the read from beginning to end, and can’t wait to get into the rest of the series. I definitely recommend it to all the fans of vampire stories out there, and if you’re not a fan of vampire fiction yet, this might be the book to get you into it.
I loved the tweaks that the author made to the standard vampire rules and of course I liked the way the laws of their fictional universe were explained by Sophie to Leia it came very naturally to the flow of the story. As the story follows these two girls on their run from the vampires that are pursuing them I also really liked the character development, and the relationship that there was between the girls. There’s a real sense of connection and friendship between the girls as they struggle together. I also liked how Leia’s character deals with her OCD and anxiety over the course of the novel. The story is fast paced and full of scares and problems along the way for the girls to struggle through. I thoroughly enjoyed the read from beginning to end, and can’t wait to get into the rest of the series. I definitely recommend it to all the fans of vampire stories out there, and if you’re not a fan of vampire fiction yet, this might be the book to get you into it.
May 20, 2021
There are so many things I want to say about this book, but they all boil down to pretty much the same thing - read it. Villimey Mist has nailed down a certain aesthetic that I’m having trouble describing any other way than YA for adults. We could have the conversation about what constitutes a YA book, but I can tell you I wasn’t reading anything this bloody or profanity-laced in middle school. The pacing, the characters, and the way the mythos is expanded kept reminding structurally of the Percy Jackson books. Maybe a con in the eyes of some, but a definitive pro in my mind.
Mist has crafted a phenomenal lead in Leia Walker, a character we root for instantly. It’s easy to invest in her journey from a less-than-typical kid dealing with typical jerk-ass kids to someone who must transcend their surroundings in order to deal with what’s been thrust upon them. Sophie acts as a perfect foil to Leia’s characterization and the two embark on the quintessential road trip novel.
Along the way the author manages to explain the rules for these real-life vampires without ever making it feel like an exposition dump and introduce us to the allies and villains in this world, all in a very organic manner. The conclusion is both surprising and inevitable, and whether true or not, feels planned and well thought-out from the first page.
I’d love to wrap this up by saying I can’t wait to dive into the others in the series, but I started book two long before I got around to writing this review. Whether or not you like vampire books, this opening number to the Nocturnal series is can’t-miss, fast-paced, bloody fun.
Mist has crafted a phenomenal lead in Leia Walker, a character we root for instantly. It’s easy to invest in her journey from a less-than-typical kid dealing with typical jerk-ass kids to someone who must transcend their surroundings in order to deal with what’s been thrust upon them. Sophie acts as a perfect foil to Leia’s characterization and the two embark on the quintessential road trip novel.
Along the way the author manages to explain the rules for these real-life vampires without ever making it feel like an exposition dump and introduce us to the allies and villains in this world, all in a very organic manner. The conclusion is both surprising and inevitable, and whether true or not, feels planned and well thought-out from the first page.
I’d love to wrap this up by saying I can’t wait to dive into the others in the series, but I started book two long before I got around to writing this review. Whether or not you like vampire books, this opening number to the Nocturnal series is can’t-miss, fast-paced, bloody fun.
February 20, 2021
NOCTURNAL BLOOD is a unique take on traditional vampire fiction. I think I was about a third of the way through this before I was able to sink my teeth into it but from there I was invested. The book follows Leia, a young woman with OCD, anxiety and all the hardships that stem from them.
When Leia was in high school she was the victim of bullies and was a social outcast, that is until she met Sophie. Sophie became her protector and only friend until Sophie’s parents had to move. The narrative jumps forward four years and Sophie enters Leia’s life once again but this time she’s not human and trouble soon follows.
I think my focus throughout the book was Leia, she had to step way out of her comfort zone for her friend and her awkwardness and insecurities really showed on the page (that is meant as a compliment). I wanted to protect Leia, that’s how much I loved this character. And she needed a lot of protection, not only from vicious vampires but from hunters and from another group of folks called Sangues. I had trouble connecting to Sophie, I felt she was selfish and untrustworthy. The construct of the vampire world is given to the reader throughout the book and promises more in book 2.
I enjoyed reading this debut novel that gives us blood-thirsty vampires and a well thought out subculture. Although this is a complete novel, book 2, NOCTURNAL FARM has already been published and there is promise of at least a third book.
When Leia was in high school she was the victim of bullies and was a social outcast, that is until she met Sophie. Sophie became her protector and only friend until Sophie’s parents had to move. The narrative jumps forward four years and Sophie enters Leia’s life once again but this time she’s not human and trouble soon follows.
I think my focus throughout the book was Leia, she had to step way out of her comfort zone for her friend and her awkwardness and insecurities really showed on the page (that is meant as a compliment). I wanted to protect Leia, that’s how much I loved this character. And she needed a lot of protection, not only from vicious vampires but from hunters and from another group of folks called Sangues. I had trouble connecting to Sophie, I felt she was selfish and untrustworthy. The construct of the vampire world is given to the reader throughout the book and promises more in book 2.
I enjoyed reading this debut novel that gives us blood-thirsty vampires and a well thought out subculture. Although this is a complete novel, book 2, NOCTURNAL FARM has already been published and there is promise of at least a third book.
June 5, 2019
I found this debut novel to be more of a haunting and meditative examination of love, trust, and friendship rather than outright horror although be warned there is plenty of gore and horrifying events as you would expect from a novel involving vampires. The relationship between the main characters, Sophie and Leia, is as complex as relationships in real life often are. The book is written in a straightforward style that I felt let the characters and the plot shine through. Leia's anxiety and OCD symptoms were woven into the story in a sensitive way that acknowledges the challenges people with these mental health issues face in ordinary life (much less when you are on the run with a vampire!) while showing that they are still only one part of a person's personality. Leia isn't your typical confident, kick-ass heroine and for me, that made her journey all the more touching and relatable. The ending was both unexpected and gave even more weight to this moving and original take on vampire lore. Recommended for fans of horror with a thoughtful and emotional edge.
April 6, 2021
I read everything vampire years ago, I thought I was tired of them.
I was wrong. I loved this, the plot, the characters, everything.
Really well written. It's one of those, I'll just read one chapter and then more later kind of books. As in, you don't want to stop reading. Excellent
I was wrong. I loved this, the plot, the characters, everything.
Really well written. It's one of those, I'll just read one chapter and then more later kind of books. As in, you don't want to stop reading. Excellent
March 24, 2020
I rated five stars for this story because I loved it so much!
Villimey Mist captured my attention right from the cover. When I opened the book after buying it on my Kindle account, I saw the trigger warning and thought I could handle it. Maybe. Perhaps. Never done it, though. I wanted to read it anyway because the blurb I'd read was very promising. At such times, I usually ignore these warnings.
The book began as a prelude to the actual story, about how the main character/narrator, Leia Walker, met Sophie Gardner and how, after the latter moved away, they eventually lost contact. I had a feeling there was a great dramatic twist to that story and I was right--Sophie comes back to save Leia yet again, but as a bloodthirsty and dangerous vampire.
Their reunion is almost comical, with Leia being so afraid of Sophie, whom she had once trusted so much and depended upon for surviving high school. Leia as a character was largely relateable, though she has problems beyond my imagination; I admit I scoffed at a lot of her anxieties, but it's something I've seen for real before, so no surprises there. She acted naturally as she should have in the story and so did Sophie. I particularly liked the way the two of them felt naturally bonded, as though they were somehow destined to be with each other. I was wondering what kind of connection they had as I read the story and what Sophie revealed in the end made complete sense.
The story was overall very good. There was just one thing that I didn't understand: After the ordeal with Miss Madden, the first motel owner, there are buckets of blood left over - why didn't Sophie collect them for later, when she knew that her blood supply is over? That would've given a lot of relief to both her and Leia, right? Unless, that didn't occur to them. I get that it didn't occur to Leia, but what about Sophie? Surely she must've smelt all the blood when she went back to get food from the pantry? Anyway, this is just the one. I especially liked their sibling-like banter and Sophie's sarcasm and YOLO-like way of life.
Other than that, the story pacing was fantastic, the fighting was cool, despite all the gore and violence - it all fit right in. Leia and Sophie showed their immaturity in the beginning, but also, they develop a lot through the course of the book. I like Leia's determination, Sophie's strong will to ensure her safety, and their friendship and trust for each other. They really were the best team. The climax broke my heart and I literally cried, but I suppose it had to be done. As a writer myself, I get it. I hope that your new book, whenever I buy it, will be just as great as this one or at least closer!
Hats off to the author! Another horror author emerging in the 21st century! I highly recommend this book to any lover of "Dracula", "The Vampire Diaries", and "The Morganville Vampires!"
Villimey Mist captured my attention right from the cover. When I opened the book after buying it on my Kindle account, I saw the trigger warning and thought I could handle it. Maybe. Perhaps. Never done it, though. I wanted to read it anyway because the blurb I'd read was very promising. At such times, I usually ignore these warnings.
The book began as a prelude to the actual story, about how the main character/narrator, Leia Walker, met Sophie Gardner and how, after the latter moved away, they eventually lost contact. I had a feeling there was a great dramatic twist to that story and I was right--Sophie comes back to save Leia yet again, but as a bloodthirsty and dangerous vampire.
Their reunion is almost comical, with Leia being so afraid of Sophie, whom she had once trusted so much and depended upon for surviving high school. Leia as a character was largely relateable, though she has problems beyond my imagination; I admit I scoffed at a lot of her anxieties, but it's something I've seen for real before, so no surprises there. She acted naturally as she should have in the story and so did Sophie. I particularly liked the way the two of them felt naturally bonded, as though they were somehow destined to be with each other. I was wondering what kind of connection they had as I read the story and what Sophie revealed in the end made complete sense.
The story was overall very good. There was just one thing that I didn't understand: After the ordeal with Miss Madden, the first motel owner, there are buckets of blood left over - why didn't Sophie collect them for later, when she knew that her blood supply is over? That would've given a lot of relief to both her and Leia, right? Unless, that didn't occur to them. I get that it didn't occur to Leia, but what about Sophie? Surely she must've smelt all the blood when she went back to get food from the pantry? Anyway, this is just the one. I especially liked their sibling-like banter and Sophie's sarcasm and YOLO-like way of life.
Other than that, the story pacing was fantastic, the fighting was cool, despite all the gore and violence - it all fit right in. Leia and Sophie showed their immaturity in the beginning, but also, they develop a lot through the course of the book. I like Leia's determination, Sophie's strong will to ensure her safety, and their friendship and trust for each other. They really were the best team. The climax broke my heart and I literally cried, but I suppose it had to be done. As a writer myself, I get it. I hope that your new book, whenever I buy it, will be just as great as this one or at least closer!
Hats off to the author! Another horror author emerging in the 21st century! I highly recommend this book to any lover of "Dracula", "The Vampire Diaries", and "The Morganville Vampires!"
July 13, 2021
I will start off by saying vampire stories are not a strong interest of mine. (Yet somehow I've now read two vampire novels this year!) However, I have followed author Villimey Mist on social media for a while now and could not resist jumping on the opportunity to read her debut novel.
Since I do not often read vampire fiction, I cannot say how unconventional Nocturnal Blood is compared with other vampire novels. However, what engaged me was the bond between the protagonist and her best (and only) friend, who, sometime during a four-year absence, has been turned into a vampire. The dynamic between the two is endearing: the protagonist, Leia, is a sensitive, bullied college freshman with OCD, and her best friend, Sophie, is a gothic hard-ass who practices tough love. The novel shines its brightest when the two are at odds not because of circumstance but due to their polar opposite behaviors and manners of approaching problems.
Nocturnal Blood does take a little time to really ramp up following a strong, fast-paced start, but even in the slower-paced chapters, the relationship between Leia and Sophie was enough to keep me invested. In addition to their bond, there is genuine tension between the pair: Leia, being a human, is essentially food for Sophie, but Sophie assures Leia she would never eat her. The tension of whether Sophie would be driven to that point as the pair's situation worsened kept me on the edge of my seat at times, especially in some of Sophie's more trying moments.
This novel may be for you if you love stories of close friends in trying circumstances, themes of trust, or, of course, vampires. And if vampires are your thing, this very well may be a five-star read.
A huge thank you to the author for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
Since I do not often read vampire fiction, I cannot say how unconventional Nocturnal Blood is compared with other vampire novels. However, what engaged me was the bond between the protagonist and her best (and only) friend, who, sometime during a four-year absence, has been turned into a vampire. The dynamic between the two is endearing: the protagonist, Leia, is a sensitive, bullied college freshman with OCD, and her best friend, Sophie, is a gothic hard-ass who practices tough love. The novel shines its brightest when the two are at odds not because of circumstance but due to their polar opposite behaviors and manners of approaching problems.
Nocturnal Blood does take a little time to really ramp up following a strong, fast-paced start, but even in the slower-paced chapters, the relationship between Leia and Sophie was enough to keep me invested. In addition to their bond, there is genuine tension between the pair: Leia, being a human, is essentially food for Sophie, but Sophie assures Leia she would never eat her. The tension of whether Sophie would be driven to that point as the pair's situation worsened kept me on the edge of my seat at times, especially in some of Sophie's more trying moments.
This novel may be for you if you love stories of close friends in trying circumstances, themes of trust, or, of course, vampires. And if vampires are your thing, this very well may be a five-star read.
A huge thank you to the author for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
April 19, 2019
First off, this is not the type of book I would normally read at all. I'm trying to read more lesser known, indie authors to support that community, and this title was recommended to me on Twitter. I went ahead and got it, just to read something new.
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it!
The main character, Leia Walker, is a naive college student who struggles with OCD and self-image issues. She is thrown into a world of vampires and finds herself on the run from vampires and hunters with her vampire friend. The novel has a road trip vibe, exploring some of the North American northwest (Alaska, Canada, Washington). Nocturnal Blood moves quickly and doesn't get bogged down in any one location.
As is the case in many fantasy worlds, the vampire world has its own set of rules that serve to move the plot forward. These rules weren't too contrived or distracting - it wasn't a hard world to grasp. The author does a good job of spreading that information out over the course of the novel instead of dumping it all in one place. She lets the story do most of the work in the world building, which was nice.
Nocturnal Blood isn't a groundbreaking book, but it was enjoyable.
*I've seen some on Twitter classifying this as a YA book. It's not, exactly. It's more of a New Adult book. There's plenty of language, a few references to sexual content including rape, and a fair amount of violence, so if those sorts of things bother you, be forewarned. The author does include a warning at the beginning.
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it!
The main character, Leia Walker, is a naive college student who struggles with OCD and self-image issues. She is thrown into a world of vampires and finds herself on the run from vampires and hunters with her vampire friend. The novel has a road trip vibe, exploring some of the North American northwest (Alaska, Canada, Washington). Nocturnal Blood moves quickly and doesn't get bogged down in any one location.
As is the case in many fantasy worlds, the vampire world has its own set of rules that serve to move the plot forward. These rules weren't too contrived or distracting - it wasn't a hard world to grasp. The author does a good job of spreading that information out over the course of the novel instead of dumping it all in one place. She lets the story do most of the work in the world building, which was nice.
Nocturnal Blood isn't a groundbreaking book, but it was enjoyable.
*I've seen some on Twitter classifying this as a YA book. It's not, exactly. It's more of a New Adult book. There's plenty of language, a few references to sexual content including rape, and a fair amount of violence, so if those sorts of things bother you, be forewarned. The author does include a warning at the beginning.
December 7, 2020
Gory vampires? Two women not focused on falling in love with some man? A killer road trip? All check.
Villimey Mist gives us a blood soaked road trip through Alaska and Canada with a vampire and her best friend. She captures the pain and challenges of being a vampire as well as someone suffering from severe anxiety and OCD. It's an emotional experience that I didn't expect but really appreciated seeing. That's not to say there isn't vampire horror, there's plenty of that, it's just that Mist digs deeper to make the story richer and not just surface.
We see Sophie, our vampire, dealing with the world and rules of vampires as she is on the run from a terrible incident. Mist builds a detailed backstory to the vampires, showing us that it's a lot more than just drinking blood and dressing fancy. I really enjoyed seeing all of it and am excited to see what else she does with it. Sophie is a flawed, frustrating character that I grew to love. She does some things I hate, but it makes sense within the story and shows that Mist can create believable characters.
Leia, Sophie's friend, is almost the exact opposite. She lives in her head, suffers from OCD and anxiety, and would be happy to stay home. Of course, when Sophie comes to town, everything changes. This is where I think Mist really shines. We feel Leia's pain and understand all of her decisions, even if we scream at the book for her to not do it. I couldn't help but want the best for her.
This is a great book and definitely worth checking out if you are looking for something a little different with vampires.
Villimey Mist gives us a blood soaked road trip through Alaska and Canada with a vampire and her best friend. She captures the pain and challenges of being a vampire as well as someone suffering from severe anxiety and OCD. It's an emotional experience that I didn't expect but really appreciated seeing. That's not to say there isn't vampire horror, there's plenty of that, it's just that Mist digs deeper to make the story richer and not just surface.
We see Sophie, our vampire, dealing with the world and rules of vampires as she is on the run from a terrible incident. Mist builds a detailed backstory to the vampires, showing us that it's a lot more than just drinking blood and dressing fancy. I really enjoyed seeing all of it and am excited to see what else she does with it. Sophie is a flawed, frustrating character that I grew to love. She does some things I hate, but it makes sense within the story and shows that Mist can create believable characters.
Leia, Sophie's friend, is almost the exact opposite. She lives in her head, suffers from OCD and anxiety, and would be happy to stay home. Of course, when Sophie comes to town, everything changes. This is where I think Mist really shines. We feel Leia's pain and understand all of her decisions, even if we scream at the book for her to not do it. I couldn't help but want the best for her.
This is a great book and definitely worth checking out if you are looking for something a little different with vampires.
September 20, 2020
Nocturnal Blood is essentially a novel about two friends, one of whom happens to be a vampire.
Right from chapter one Nocturnal Blood captured my attention. The characters are relatable, the story is entertaining and the fast pace is perfect.
*Minor spoiler ahead* The main character, Leia, has her best friend, Sophie, move away very early in the book. Sophie returns unexpectedly as a vampire and through one impulsive, though certainly excusable action, the two of them are forced to flee their home city.
The vampire portion of the story doesn’t break any new ground, but their societal structure is solid and serves as a good base to the plot. For me, the real star of this novel is the relationship between Leia and Sophie, which develops nicely and feels a lot like the film ‘Let the Right one in’. Everything is told from Leia’s perspective and her thoughts and insights are both entertaining and consistent. I particularly liked Leia's quirks which added to her character.
The over-all plot is good as the two girls attempt to flee to safety, but keep running into nasty situations. There are quite a few twists which helped to keep my interest. Some of them I predicted and others were a surprise. The ending made perfect sense and I appreciate that the author tied everything together in such a way that earlier scenes in the novel worked even better.
An easy five stars for me.
Right from chapter one Nocturnal Blood captured my attention. The characters are relatable, the story is entertaining and the fast pace is perfect.
*Minor spoiler ahead* The main character, Leia, has her best friend, Sophie, move away very early in the book. Sophie returns unexpectedly as a vampire and through one impulsive, though certainly excusable action, the two of them are forced to flee their home city.
The vampire portion of the story doesn’t break any new ground, but their societal structure is solid and serves as a good base to the plot. For me, the real star of this novel is the relationship between Leia and Sophie, which develops nicely and feels a lot like the film ‘Let the Right one in’. Everything is told from Leia’s perspective and her thoughts and insights are both entertaining and consistent. I particularly liked Leia's quirks which added to her character.
The over-all plot is good as the two girls attempt to flee to safety, but keep running into nasty situations. There are quite a few twists which helped to keep my interest. Some of them I predicted and others were a surprise. The ending made perfect sense and I appreciate that the author tied everything together in such a way that earlier scenes in the novel worked even better.
An easy five stars for me.
April 11, 2021
It's a great read, so different from all those stories where vampires sparkle and look like wet dreams of teenage girls (and don't get me wrong, some of them are handsome, but it's not a rule). It keeps you on the edge to the very last page, and even though I knew what would happen (yeah, reading books out of order is a bad habit), I couldn't help but jerk a tear at the end.
Villimey Mist knows how to catch the reader's attention. The story itself doesn't look so unique at the first glance. We have a bullied girl who gets befriended by a misfit only to be abandoned soon after, but then the real fun starts. The more you look into it, the more you see how well-thought the idea of the human and vampire world entwined is.
Unfortunately, the book might need some more editing. There are a few plot holes (nothing too major, yet still noticeable) and grammar errors here and there, but the thing that bugged me the most was a pretty unconvincing depiction of Leia's mental issues. Some things are explained in the story quite well, but more often than not it felt like her OCD was being miraculously turned on and off whenever it fit the story.
But it's still a good book after all. I can't wait for part three.
Villimey Mist knows how to catch the reader's attention. The story itself doesn't look so unique at the first glance. We have a bullied girl who gets befriended by a misfit only to be abandoned soon after, but then the real fun starts. The more you look into it, the more you see how well-thought the idea of the human and vampire world entwined is.
Unfortunately, the book might need some more editing. There are a few plot holes (nothing too major, yet still noticeable) and grammar errors here and there, but the thing that bugged me the most was a pretty unconvincing depiction of Leia's mental issues. Some things are explained in the story quite well, but more often than not it felt like her OCD was being miraculously turned on and off whenever it fit the story.
But it's still a good book after all. I can't wait for part three.
April 4, 2020
When Leia meets back up with her long lost friend Sophie, she falls into the world of undead, hunters, and uncertainty.
When I started reading this book, the only thing I knew was it was about vampires. I was pleasantly surprised to find the story not centering around an unrealistic romance (no offense, but different sometimes is nice). I like that the author shook some of the normal vampire tropes. I also really liked that the main character was not a strong heroine in the beginning, that she was riddled with anxiety and other mental illnesses. This made her all the more relatable and realistic. The gore and death along journey created a fear of danger around every corner. The betrayals kept surprising me! I was left with a few questions about the vampiric world, but these could be answered in the sequel which I do plan to read.
Final note: I adore Kenji!
When I started reading this book, the only thing I knew was it was about vampires. I was pleasantly surprised to find the story not centering around an unrealistic romance (no offense, but different sometimes is nice). I like that the author shook some of the normal vampire tropes. I also really liked that the main character was not a strong heroine in the beginning, that she was riddled with anxiety and other mental illnesses. This made her all the more relatable and realistic. The gore and death along journey created a fear of danger around every corner. The betrayals kept surprising me! I was left with a few questions about the vampiric world, but these could be answered in the sequel which I do plan to read.
Final note: I adore Kenji!
March 26, 2019
Nocturnal Blood is a gritty vampire story about friendship, the perfect read for someone who is looking for a slightly different take on the vampire genre.
It's full of action, adventure, great ideas and a very genuine friendship between two girls who suffer with their own kinds of demons. The author took some risks as far as themes and characters go, but it paid off, because it all fits into the dark and frightening world she created. Definitely a very strong start for the author's debut novel.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys the vampire genre and action, eagerly awaiting how Sophie and Leia's adventures will continue!
It's full of action, adventure, great ideas and a very genuine friendship between two girls who suffer with their own kinds of demons. The author took some risks as far as themes and characters go, but it paid off, because it all fits into the dark and frightening world she created. Definitely a very strong start for the author's debut novel.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys the vampire genre and action, eagerly awaiting how Sophie and Leia's adventures will continue!
October 10, 2019
I had no idea what to expect. I read this on a pure whim, an impulse purchase. At the end I'm not sure who was the hero. But that's ok.
I never thought before I picked the book up that I'd read and enjoy a road trip with two wholly mismatched companions. The problem I have is that I don't want to give spoilers, but it's hard to review this one without. So I'll stick to the writing.
Suspense? We have suspense. All the way through I wanted to know what happened next. The characters are three dimensional and the plot well thought through. The situations are precisely as they should be. Most important, Thelma and Louise this is not.
I did have to suspend disbelief at several non-sequiturs and wonder how I'd have written my way around them. They almost cost the fifth star, but I decided I could pass them by, that they only mattered to my pedantic brain. I found it to be unputdownable.
I never thought before I picked the book up that I'd read and enjoy a road trip with two wholly mismatched companions. The problem I have is that I don't want to give spoilers, but it's hard to review this one without. So I'll stick to the writing.
Suspense? We have suspense. All the way through I wanted to know what happened next. The characters are three dimensional and the plot well thought through. The situations are precisely as they should be. Most important, Thelma and Louise this is not.
I did have to suspend disbelief at several non-sequiturs and wonder how I'd have written my way around them. They almost cost the fifth star, but I decided I could pass them by, that they only mattered to my pedantic brain. I found it to be unputdownable.
March 24, 2019
This book is perfect example of strength & bond of togetherness , characters are really well written & i felt a certain attachment to the lead character .. it's really emotional yet creepy , sweethorror kind of book .. i really loved it 💖 ..
March 9, 2020
4.5 out of 5.
I loved this book. It appealed to my love of Vampires, gore, horror, and fantasy. Leia's character was a thrill to read and I enjoyed Sophie's snarky attitude.
Full review is here:
https://kaylenazaleagrimm.com/2020/02...
I loved this book. It appealed to my love of Vampires, gore, horror, and fantasy. Leia's character was a thrill to read and I enjoyed Sophie's snarky attitude.
Full review is here:
https://kaylenazaleagrimm.com/2020/02...
June 9, 2021
a coming to age story featuring a young vampire and her young human friend that is part road trip/part violent hellish experience with an end that brought a tear to my eye.
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