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Rules for Vampires
The Nevermoor series meets Hotel Transylvania in this dazzling debut middle grade adventure set in a world of talking spiders, living forests, and haunted castles about a vampire girl who wants to fit in but first must defeat an evil ghost.
After one hundred years of being a vampire, it’s time for Eleonora to have her Birthnight. Since Leo’s last rite of passage, her Grimwalk, ended with her losing her right leg and a good deal of her confidence, she’s hoping to redeem herself in the eyes of her mother, the fearsome Lady Sieglinde. All Leo has to do is hunt down and kill her first prey, and she already has the perfect plan. After all, who will miss an orphan from the bleak St. Frieda’s Home for Unwanted Children?
But an accidental fire causes more death and destruction than Leo bargained for. Instead of killing one carefully selected victim, she’s created several ghosts from the orphanage residents. And one sinister specter, the Orphanmaster, is poised to terrorize the living residents in a nearby town. To stop him and try to undo some of the mess she’s made, Leo must team up with the orphan ghost Minna.
Will Leo have the chance to prove herself as a vampire before her Birthnight is over, or will she discover that there are no winners in the battle of undead versus undead?
After one hundred years of being a vampire, it’s time for Eleonora to have her Birthnight. Since Leo’s last rite of passage, her Grimwalk, ended with her losing her right leg and a good deal of her confidence, she’s hoping to redeem herself in the eyes of her mother, the fearsome Lady Sieglinde. All Leo has to do is hunt down and kill her first prey, and she already has the perfect plan. After all, who will miss an orphan from the bleak St. Frieda’s Home for Unwanted Children?
But an accidental fire causes more death and destruction than Leo bargained for. Instead of killing one carefully selected victim, she’s created several ghosts from the orphanage residents. And one sinister specter, the Orphanmaster, is poised to terrorize the living residents in a nearby town. To stop him and try to undo some of the mess she’s made, Leo must team up with the orphan ghost Minna.
Will Leo have the chance to prove herself as a vampire before her Birthnight is over, or will she discover that there are no winners in the battle of undead versus undead?
368 pages, Paperback
First published November 3, 2021
14 people are currently reading
368 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
October 21, 2021
This was utterly delightful, both spooky and great friendship with exciting adventure. Needed a much needed break for my adult books and decided to pick it up. It's October after all. A perfect Halloween read that isn't to scary but fun and exciting nevertheless. I don't think you ever get to old for a good middle grade or another kid book! The little kid inside your soul never grows up :)
April 29, 2022
A wonderful bloody fantastic book about a vampire, a good ghost… and a bad ghost!
This was a wonderful read! Vampires, Ghosts! And so much more~ I wrote a good/unsure/meh review, because I am just tired + have so much more to write. Haha.
😍 The cover!!! It was so awesome!
😍 Margred! She was so sweet and awesome, I am still very curious what she is, a ghost? Just an empty suit of armour with a soul (a bit like FMA?). Anyway, I loved her and all she did for Leo. She was so caring and I loved what she did near the end!
😍 Rodrigo! OMG, he was such a fantastic character! He made me laugh and he reminded me a tad of Colin from Mr. Penguin series.
😍 Leo was a fabulous character and I really wanted to hug her at times. She definitely doesn’t have an easy time, but she is working hard and she tries her best. Not just with figuring out the Hunt and ghosts, but also figuring out herself and her family.
😍 That there are 7 nights, well, OK, less than that, but you will have to read the whys and hows in the book. I really loved that there was a time limit, it made things a tad more dangerous and exciting!
😍 Exploring the castle in which Leo lives! Seeing the big library which I also wanted to visit, well, maybe with some precautions given that the library is a bit alive at times, but I still want to dive in and have a day or more with just walking around, picking up books here and there and read them!
😍 The illustrations! I just love Sara Ogilvie’s art and I am so delighted to get a lot of them in this book! Her style really fits well with the story and I love the character designs.
😍 Learning more about Leo and her sister and how they became vampires. Well, we don’t know all about Leo yet, but we did get hints. It is quite sad, but also interesting why the mom picked them to be her vampire daughters.
😍 Learning about ghosts and what they do. Also how to get rid of one (which involved quite the quest for items).
😍 I love that there is something like a birthnight and that one one particular one you have to do a big Hunt. I was definitely rooting for Leo! Plus, I totally agreed with several characters near the end on the outcome of the Hunt. I won’t spoil anything, but it made me smile.
😍 The prosthetic leg! Leo has one because of an incident with her Grimwalk and I love it (well, not the incident that was just sad, but that someone in a book has a prosthetic leg). There aren’t enough books with characters, especially kids, with prosthetics and I can just imagine the happiness at seeing someone with one in a book!
😍 The latter part of the book when they battle the Orphan Master! Holy crap, that was just one big rollercoaster and I was totally curled up in my bed, hoping that both these characters would be fine. Leo especially goes through a lot and I was just so worried and stressed out! I know she is the MC and this is a children’s books, but you never know these days! OMG!
😍 The ending. Both happy and a tad of sad because of farewells, but also ominous. I am quite curious about that last glimpse and I was immediately thinking of who it could be.
😐 Minna. I am still very unsure about her. On the one hand, kick-ass girl with a big attitude. But on the other hand… she was so angry all the time while Leo did her best. But whereas you as ghost just don’t have any family or bonds with people, Leo has. She has a family. She has her responsibilities at home. She cannot go out 24/7. You can get angry with her, but seriously, Leo worked HARD and you should also see that she is trying, and I felt that Minna wasn’t appreciating Leo enough. They are in this together, so get together and stop being so angry. Understand that she has a life and cannot just hop skip off.
😖 Emmeline. Aka the little sister who is actually the bigger sister. I just wasn’t a fan of her for most of the book. Yes, she and Leo did things to each other, but Emmeline took it way too far at times (I mean ruining someone’s bedroom because of a bucket of frogspawn…) or blackmailing her sister, and I was just sick of her attitude and how she constantly made Leo feel like crap and having to worry all the time. Because Emmeline will use whatever secret she can learn from Leo against her. I do love her design though and I think it is pretty brilliant that she is a toddler (with a great fashion sense), though I guess Emmeline is not too amused by forever being tiny.
But all in all, I would highly recommend this book to all! This was just so much fun!
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
This was a wonderful read! Vampires, Ghosts! And so much more~ I wrote a good/unsure/meh review, because I am just tired + have so much more to write. Haha.
😍 The cover!!! It was so awesome!
😍 Margred! She was so sweet and awesome, I am still very curious what she is, a ghost? Just an empty suit of armour with a soul (a bit like FMA?). Anyway, I loved her and all she did for Leo. She was so caring and I loved what she did near the end!
😍 Rodrigo! OMG, he was such a fantastic character! He made me laugh and he reminded me a tad of Colin from Mr. Penguin series.
😍 Leo was a fabulous character and I really wanted to hug her at times. She definitely doesn’t have an easy time, but she is working hard and she tries her best. Not just with figuring out the Hunt and ghosts, but also figuring out herself and her family.
😍 That there are 7 nights, well, OK, less than that, but you will have to read the whys and hows in the book. I really loved that there was a time limit, it made things a tad more dangerous and exciting!
😍 Exploring the castle in which Leo lives! Seeing the big library which I also wanted to visit, well, maybe with some precautions given that the library is a bit alive at times, but I still want to dive in and have a day or more with just walking around, picking up books here and there and read them!
😍 The illustrations! I just love Sara Ogilvie’s art and I am so delighted to get a lot of them in this book! Her style really fits well with the story and I love the character designs.
😍 Learning more about Leo and her sister and how they became vampires. Well, we don’t know all about Leo yet, but we did get hints. It is quite sad, but also interesting why the mom picked them to be her vampire daughters.
😍 Learning about ghosts and what they do. Also how to get rid of one (which involved quite the quest for items).
😍 I love that there is something like a birthnight and that one one particular one you have to do a big Hunt. I was definitely rooting for Leo! Plus, I totally agreed with several characters near the end on the outcome of the Hunt. I won’t spoil anything, but it made me smile.
😍 The prosthetic leg! Leo has one because of an incident with her Grimwalk and I love it (well, not the incident that was just sad, but that someone in a book has a prosthetic leg). There aren’t enough books with characters, especially kids, with prosthetics and I can just imagine the happiness at seeing someone with one in a book!
😍 The latter part of the book when they battle the Orphan Master! Holy crap, that was just one big rollercoaster and I was totally curled up in my bed, hoping that both these characters would be fine. Leo especially goes through a lot and I was just so worried and stressed out! I know she is the MC and this is a children’s books, but you never know these days! OMG!
😍 The ending. Both happy and a tad of sad because of farewells, but also ominous. I am quite curious about that last glimpse and I was immediately thinking of who it could be.
😐 Minna. I am still very unsure about her. On the one hand, kick-ass girl with a big attitude. But on the other hand… she was so angry all the time while Leo did her best. But whereas you as ghost just don’t have any family or bonds with people, Leo has. She has a family. She has her responsibilities at home. She cannot go out 24/7. You can get angry with her, but seriously, Leo worked HARD and you should also see that she is trying, and I felt that Minna wasn’t appreciating Leo enough. They are in this together, so get together and stop being so angry. Understand that she has a life and cannot just hop skip off.
😖 Emmeline. Aka the little sister who is actually the bigger sister. I just wasn’t a fan of her for most of the book. Yes, she and Leo did things to each other, but Emmeline took it way too far at times (I mean ruining someone’s bedroom because of a bucket of frogspawn…) or blackmailing her sister, and I was just sick of her attitude and how she constantly made Leo feel like crap and having to worry all the time. Because Emmeline will use whatever secret she can learn from Leo against her. I do love her design though and I think it is pretty brilliant that she is a toddler (with a great fashion sense), though I guess Emmeline is not too amused by forever being tiny.
But all in all, I would highly recommend this book to all! This was just so much fun!
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
August 2, 2021
I know it’s a bit early to be thinking about Halloween, but if you’re looking for something delightfully spooky to pick up for it, this is the book for you. It’s about a young(ish) vampire named Leo, who accidentally awakens a war with a ghost on arguably the most important night of her life so far, and must team up with Mina (who is another ghost killed in the same fire), to try and defeat the evil spirit before it wreaks destruction on the town and the people within it. I was a huge fan of the My Sister the Vampire series when I was younger so I’ve been delighted to see a resurgence of vampire books in 2021, and I think that Alex did a great job of including vampire tropes while also putting her own unique spin on the vampire world. Leo was such a fun main character with a heart of gold, Mina was hilarious and I loved her frequent spats with Leo but also their friendship as it went on and Emmeline was a brilliant character to hate to love and there’s an illustration of her at one point that made me laugh out loud. My favourite character was undoubtedly Rodri the spider, but the villain deserves a shoutout for being terrifying, and so does Marged, but for the opposite reason that she’s absolutely lovely. The plot zipped along at a fantastic pace, and I loved the quirky writing style that made it feel as though the narrator was directly speaking to the reader. Based on something that happens close to the end, I’m assuming this won’t be the last we see of Leo, and I’m very much looking forward to the next installment.
October 19, 2021
A little horror, a little gore, adventure, tons of humor, and imagination pure make this into a read to get lost in and wish it continued without an end.
Leo is a vampire, and it's her Birthnight. To allow her to pass into full-fledged, vampire adulthood, she needs to go on her Hunt and kill her first human. But things don't go as planned. Not at all. Instead, she ends up with ghosts, a powerful evil force, an impossible quest, and a whole ton of unforeseeable happen-chances.
This is a fun novel from start to finish. The beginning already starts a bit mysterious, not making it totally clear what Leo is and letting her life slide in comparison with that of a normal 'human' girl. Which is clever in so far that it lets the reader build up a familiarity with her before her 'monsterly' side takes over. And she can be monsterly. There is a touch of horror and things can get tense and gruesome-ish. This isn't roses and whimsical twirls, but still, with added quirky moments such as talking spiders and flying objects and things just not going as planned, there's enough humor built in to keep it at the middle grade level. And definitely enough surprises and challenges to keep the reader glued to the pages.
The plot moves right along with tons of difficult moments, unsure relationships, high tension scenes, and deadly stakes....in both senses of the word. The family weave is difficult, to say the least. And yet, there is an odd sense of bonding, although wholesome would never be the correct word. Friendship also takes rocky forms, and there's the problem of not always meeting parental expectations. But Leo stays true to herself, which is an odd balance in itself, and creates a character to root for from beginning to end.
I can only hope there will be a book two to see what Leo might be up against next. I received an ARC and recommend it for darker adventure lovers.
Leo is a vampire, and it's her Birthnight. To allow her to pass into full-fledged, vampire adulthood, she needs to go on her Hunt and kill her first human. But things don't go as planned. Not at all. Instead, she ends up with ghosts, a powerful evil force, an impossible quest, and a whole ton of unforeseeable happen-chances.
This is a fun novel from start to finish. The beginning already starts a bit mysterious, not making it totally clear what Leo is and letting her life slide in comparison with that of a normal 'human' girl. Which is clever in so far that it lets the reader build up a familiarity with her before her 'monsterly' side takes over. And she can be monsterly. There is a touch of horror and things can get tense and gruesome-ish. This isn't roses and whimsical twirls, but still, with added quirky moments such as talking spiders and flying objects and things just not going as planned, there's enough humor built in to keep it at the middle grade level. And definitely enough surprises and challenges to keep the reader glued to the pages.
The plot moves right along with tons of difficult moments, unsure relationships, high tension scenes, and deadly stakes....in both senses of the word. The family weave is difficult, to say the least. And yet, there is an odd sense of bonding, although wholesome would never be the correct word. Friendship also takes rocky forms, and there's the problem of not always meeting parental expectations. But Leo stays true to herself, which is an odd balance in itself, and creates a character to root for from beginning to end.
I can only hope there will be a book two to see what Leo might be up against next. I received an ARC and recommend it for darker adventure lovers.
August 18, 2022
The best YA novel I've read in years.
Spooky yet endearing with important lessons about friendship, courage, and most importantly... being a creature of the night.
Foulkes' writing style has a gentle vividness, enabling one to read 100 pages in the blink of an eye.
If Rules for Vampires was ever to take on a different medium, I think it'd make an excellent video game, with the player running around the castle hunting down the various items required to kill a ghost.
I can't wait to read more from Alex Foulkes.
Spooky yet endearing with important lessons about friendship, courage, and most importantly... being a creature of the night.
Foulkes' writing style has a gentle vividness, enabling one to read 100 pages in the blink of an eye.
If Rules for Vampires was ever to take on a different medium, I think it'd make an excellent video game, with the player running around the castle hunting down the various items required to kill a ghost.
I can't wait to read more from Alex Foulkes.
August 1, 2021
I found it quite messy and I wasn’t a fan of Minna. At times, I felt that Minna was using Leo. Leo is too precious for this world 🥺
September 7, 2021
This was such a fun book to read. If you're a fan of spooky vampire stories this book is for you!
The main character, Leo, is an absolute delight of a character who truly stands out from both other vampire characters and other middle-grade protagonists. She's fun and rebellious but also has an anxious side that shows as she has to take on her Birthnight, where she has to complete a task in order to become a full vampire. And as we learn this is because during her last rite of passage where she lost a leg. Foulkes' writing style is incredibly captivating and insanely inviting to a younger audience. This would be the PERFECT story to read aloud given the humour that is portrayed through the writing. And the Illustratrations match the story so well.
The only slight criticism that I have is that I can see some of the names in the book being difficult for children to pronounce. But aside from that, this is definitely worth a read, no matter your age!
Many thanks to Simon & Schuster Children's UK and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.
The main character, Leo, is an absolute delight of a character who truly stands out from both other vampire characters and other middle-grade protagonists. She's fun and rebellious but also has an anxious side that shows as she has to take on her Birthnight, where she has to complete a task in order to become a full vampire. And as we learn this is because during her last rite of passage where she lost a leg. Foulkes' writing style is incredibly captivating and insanely inviting to a younger audience. This would be the PERFECT story to read aloud given the humour that is portrayed through the writing. And the Illustratrations match the story so well.
The only slight criticism that I have is that I can see some of the names in the book being difficult for children to pronounce. But aside from that, this is definitely worth a read, no matter your age!
Many thanks to Simon & Schuster Children's UK and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.
June 17, 2023
I read this one because it is on the Lone Star reading list. It is mildly scary and would entertain middle graders. The basic story is that a young vampire gets involved with some ghosts and has to research and carry out a plan to kill an evil ghost with the help of a friendly ghost. The whole story takes place in about a week (minus the last bit which is kind of an epilogue) and in each chapter, the young vampire, Leo, has to overcome some obstacle. Most obstacles in the middle of the book are her family. The main action happens at the beginning and the end. This story mentions some pretty horrid child abuse done and planned to be done. And also, Leo's vampire family is quite...awful. Vampire family services needs to pay them a visit. But at the end, it seems like everyone is happy and I'm still thinking that it's a terrible situation. Leo was a human with a mom and dad. Her "mom" kidnapped her and turned her because she thought she looked like a good daughter. She also did this with Leo's 2 year old big sister. A grown up mind in a 2 year old body forever? That is pretty awful. And this mom who just had to have these two daughters basically ignores them except when she feels like seeing them. Ditto for the distracted dad. Leo has no one and this can't be a healthy way to live for 111 years. I mean, I enjoyed the book and think middle grade kids will enjoy it, but there are some definite problems and inconsistencies that could be fixed.
September 12, 2021
This has got to be the first in a duology, at least. Right? That ending!
If you have middle grade readers who are interested in horror, but horror that isn't too scary, Rules for Vampires is the book for them: vampire lore, orphans, an evil Orphanmaster, scary castles, vampires, and a talking spider named Rodrigo. And humor. Minna's snark and Leo's (pardon the pun) deadpan delivery in some of their conversations will appeal to readers. And while the Rules aren't always explained (there are seven), they will set readers up for future explorations of the vampire genre.
eARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss.
If you have middle grade readers who are interested in horror, but horror that isn't too scary, Rules for Vampires is the book for them: vampire lore, orphans, an evil Orphanmaster, scary castles, vampires, and a talking spider named Rodrigo. And humor. Minna's snark and Leo's (pardon the pun) deadpan delivery in some of their conversations will appeal to readers. And while the Rules aren't always explained (there are seven), they will set readers up for future explorations of the vampire genre.
eARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss.
September 25, 2021
A perfect Halloween gift for someone. This is a brilliant debut that had me on the edge of my seat right to the end. It’s not only a brilliantly spooky story but also one which shows us the power of friendship. Recommended for all lovers of a good vampire story and especially for middle years readers. I’ll be sharing this with my pupils!
May 23, 2025
started off strong. lacking a good plot in the middle. sort of pulled it back with the ending
October 31, 2021
I am sorry. I really wanted to like this book. I honestly thought this is gonna be sth right up my alley. But, somehow this story disturbed me rather than entertained me. And I'm not against being spooked by what I'm reading. However, this at a first glance might be chilling for a kid (it is clearly a children's book) but very unsettling for anyone old enough to read between the lines. And I'm not concerned for myself, but for all these kids, who don't realise what they're being shown by this story.
I guess here come the spoilers...
Basically, my issue with this story is mostly the portrayal of a family. I get it... You could argue, that it's not a typical family. They are vampires, etc. But... nothing can convince me, that what the "mother" did to make her this "family" is ok. She literally saw a two year old baby girl and decided to take her as her own, which meant to kill her and turn her into a vampire. Which also resulted in trapping this girl in a two year old body for centuries to come. Same thing happened to the main character, who will be 11 years old for forever.
How is this ok?! I mean I've seen/read dozens of vampire stories, and none of them ever did this to children. I guess "Twilight" came close with the vampire teenagers, but even there they specifically had a rule NOT TO TURN CHILDREN! And take for example the Hotel Transylvania. Sure there are vampire children, but they are born and can grow up to become adults even if that takes them decades.
This story depicts a terrible wrong doing by a selfish vampire who just kills kids and forces them into a very twisted family life. She doesn't even pretend to care about them like a mother. For goodness' sake the main character almost dies and not one of her family members comes to visit her when she wakes up. The only character that is concerned for her well being is her nanny/ butler. This is a truly disfunctional family.
And one more thing... The little girl's ghost character is also quite odd. From the start this 11 year old girl planned a cold blooded murder of the orphanmaster. How is this normal?! What little girl would be able to do that? This story is extremely twisted if you look at it closer.
I guess this could have worked as an adult horror novel. Definitely not as a middle grade...
I wish the author would re-think their choices before writing any other children's book.
I guess here come the spoilers...
Basically, my issue with this story is mostly the portrayal of a family. I get it... You could argue, that it's not a typical family. They are vampires, etc. But... nothing can convince me, that what the "mother" did to make her this "family" is ok. She literally saw a two year old baby girl and decided to take her as her own, which meant to kill her and turn her into a vampire. Which also resulted in trapping this girl in a two year old body for centuries to come. Same thing happened to the main character, who will be 11 years old for forever.
How is this ok?! I mean I've seen/read dozens of vampire stories, and none of them ever did this to children. I guess "Twilight" came close with the vampire teenagers, but even there they specifically had a rule NOT TO TURN CHILDREN! And take for example the Hotel Transylvania. Sure there are vampire children, but they are born and can grow up to become adults even if that takes them decades.
This story depicts a terrible wrong doing by a selfish vampire who just kills kids and forces them into a very twisted family life. She doesn't even pretend to care about them like a mother. For goodness' sake the main character almost dies and not one of her family members comes to visit her when she wakes up. The only character that is concerned for her well being is her nanny/ butler. This is a truly disfunctional family.
And one more thing... The little girl's ghost character is also quite odd. From the start this 11 year old girl planned a cold blooded murder of the orphanmaster. How is this normal?! What little girl would be able to do that? This story is extremely twisted if you look at it closer.
I guess this could have worked as an adult horror novel. Definitely not as a middle grade...
I wish the author would re-think their choices before writing any other children's book.
September 13, 2023
Me esperaba más de este libro. Simplemente me ha parecido una actualización de El pequeño vampiro. No aporta mucho literariamente, aunque es entretenido y se lee fácil.
June 13, 2023
A teenage vampire, Leo messes up her first human hunt on her 111th birth night and inadvertently burns down a local orphanage creating a ghost called Minna. Sadly the evil orphan master is also now a ghost and he is not friendly. Can Leo and Minna complete the ritual to vanquish him before he reaches his full power on the 7th moon.
This was a total delight, a fun romp of an adventure, any child would enjoy this story, I’m an adult and I loved it. The fantastic illustrations enhance a wonderfully fast paced tale, the characters are so interesting and quirky, the world so rich, I loved the spider! This is middle grade and I had a great time reading this.
This was a total delight, a fun romp of an adventure, any child would enjoy this story, I’m an adult and I loved it. The fantastic illustrations enhance a wonderfully fast paced tale, the characters are so interesting and quirky, the world so rich, I loved the spider! This is middle grade and I had a great time reading this.
October 1, 2021
I wish this book had been around when I was younger. Its got two amazing young female protagonists with a great focus on female friendships and empowerment. The writing style does not belittle or condescend to its intended audience at all and its contribution to the vampire genre is refreshing and enjoyable to read. I personally was hooked, and I'm not usually thrilled by vampires. Would recommend for anyone from childhood and up.
December 11, 2021
Tonight is a big deal for Eleonore, or Leo which she prefers to be called. It’s her 111th birthday and it’s the night for her Hunt for the Waxing Moon. This is an important rite of passage for every young vampire. The night of her first bite!
Leo lives with her mum, dad, little/big sister (I’ll explain that in a moment), and Marged – her nanny who Leo much prefers to call her butler. Mum is an ancient vampire and terrifying, even to her family, and is high up in the Vampiric Council. Dad is a scientist and prolific reader, quite happy pottering about Castle Motteberg perfectly fine in his own company. Little/big sister Emmeline is an older vampire than Leo, but just happens to be in a two year old body. Her and Leo have a continuing feud where Leo pranks Emmeline and she replies with a fury that rivals a hurricane.
Mum is preparing to leave for an important Vampiric Council meeting and tells Leo that no Motteberg has ever failed their first bite and she doesn’t believe Leo will either. So no pressure!
Castle Motteberg isn’t far from a little town called Otto’s End. On the outskirts is St Frieda’s Home for Unfortunate Children. Unfortunate indeed as many young vampires have found their first bite there. Leo plans to do the same. She prepares herself, chooses a victim and that’s where everything goes completely, utterly, stupendously wrong.
Her ‘victim’ is anything but. Minna is an orphan all right, but she has her own plans for the evening, thank you very much! Leo’s arrival ruins Minna’s plan and what results is a smouldering ruin and two very angry ghosts!
Minna is one of them and she insists that as Leo wrecked her plans to end the tyrannical boss of the Orphanage (the Orphan Master), she must help Minna do it now. The problem is, The Orphan Master has become even worse as a ghost and his power increases as every night passes. They only have seven moons to stop him and they have no idea how. His threats increase as time ticks by, ratcheting up the tension in this tale.
Leo is caught in a maelstrom of worry. If Mum finds out she not only didn’t take her first bite, but has made friends with Vampires’ worst enemy – a ghost, she will be toast. Emmeline is being particularly nasty, and Minna is piling on the guilt factor. Leo is torn between family duties, guilt and worry her secret will be discovered.
One of the best middle-grade vampire novels I have ever read. So much is happening, the characters are all fascinating in their own way, and it’s funny!
Leo is caught between a guilty secret, and her feelings to do the right thing. This is at odds with her vampiric beliefs, so in turn cranks up the tension and indecision she feels. Minna has a secret of her own and when revealed explains why the villain is so terrible. He too has a surprising revelation or two, adding more and more to this riveting, time-ticking, entertaining plot.
Illustrator Sara Ogilvie’s distinctive style introduces the characters’ likenesses and the plot action as you read, pulling you even further into the story.
Throw in a talking spider, a nanny in a suit of armour and the Rules for Vampires which are increasingly harder to stick to, and you have a great read!
Leo lives with her mum, dad, little/big sister (I’ll explain that in a moment), and Marged – her nanny who Leo much prefers to call her butler. Mum is an ancient vampire and terrifying, even to her family, and is high up in the Vampiric Council. Dad is a scientist and prolific reader, quite happy pottering about Castle Motteberg perfectly fine in his own company. Little/big sister Emmeline is an older vampire than Leo, but just happens to be in a two year old body. Her and Leo have a continuing feud where Leo pranks Emmeline and she replies with a fury that rivals a hurricane.
Mum is preparing to leave for an important Vampiric Council meeting and tells Leo that no Motteberg has ever failed their first bite and she doesn’t believe Leo will either. So no pressure!
Castle Motteberg isn’t far from a little town called Otto’s End. On the outskirts is St Frieda’s Home for Unfortunate Children. Unfortunate indeed as many young vampires have found their first bite there. Leo plans to do the same. She prepares herself, chooses a victim and that’s where everything goes completely, utterly, stupendously wrong.
Her ‘victim’ is anything but. Minna is an orphan all right, but she has her own plans for the evening, thank you very much! Leo’s arrival ruins Minna’s plan and what results is a smouldering ruin and two very angry ghosts!
Minna is one of them and she insists that as Leo wrecked her plans to end the tyrannical boss of the Orphanage (the Orphan Master), she must help Minna do it now. The problem is, The Orphan Master has become even worse as a ghost and his power increases as every night passes. They only have seven moons to stop him and they have no idea how. His threats increase as time ticks by, ratcheting up the tension in this tale.
Leo is caught in a maelstrom of worry. If Mum finds out she not only didn’t take her first bite, but has made friends with Vampires’ worst enemy – a ghost, she will be toast. Emmeline is being particularly nasty, and Minna is piling on the guilt factor. Leo is torn between family duties, guilt and worry her secret will be discovered.
One of the best middle-grade vampire novels I have ever read. So much is happening, the characters are all fascinating in their own way, and it’s funny!
Leo is caught between a guilty secret, and her feelings to do the right thing. This is at odds with her vampiric beliefs, so in turn cranks up the tension and indecision she feels. Minna has a secret of her own and when revealed explains why the villain is so terrible. He too has a surprising revelation or two, adding more and more to this riveting, time-ticking, entertaining plot.
Illustrator Sara Ogilvie’s distinctive style introduces the characters’ likenesses and the plot action as you read, pulling you even further into the story.
Throw in a talking spider, a nanny in a suit of armour and the Rules for Vampires which are increasingly harder to stick to, and you have a great read!
July 2, 2024
This came through on a Reading list to the school library with some activities for students to do. We decided to use this as part of our year 6 transition to Upper School. So i thought that I should maybe read it so I could talk to the students about it.
Leo is a Vampire who is about to turn 111, and therefore must make her first kill, she goes to the local orphanage as she knows most there will not be missed, but everything goes wrong and she accidentally starts a fire that kills the mean owner and a child. Now haunted by their ghosts she must try to help them both move on - especially before the mean owner develops his ghostly powers as a malevolent spirit desperate for revenge.
This book was an easy read, quite charming and fairly simple. The characters were likeable, except for Leo's little sister - who was just obnoxious -but i think she was supposed to be.
I think kids would really enjoy this, and it wouldn't be too challenging a read.
Leo is a Vampire who is about to turn 111, and therefore must make her first kill, she goes to the local orphanage as she knows most there will not be missed, but everything goes wrong and she accidentally starts a fire that kills the mean owner and a child. Now haunted by their ghosts she must try to help them both move on - especially before the mean owner develops his ghostly powers as a malevolent spirit desperate for revenge.
This book was an easy read, quite charming and fairly simple. The characters were likeable, except for Leo's little sister - who was just obnoxious -but i think she was supposed to be.
I think kids would really enjoy this, and it wouldn't be too challenging a read.
November 17, 2023
I adored this book!
It's a great book for anyone who doesn't enjoy reading.
I am usually not a fan of Vampire stories - just on the murder, biting, blood ickiness. This book, while having some of that, really makes it more humorous, and the murder - while attempted (lol) was closer to accidental... though very much aspirational.
If you're okay with vampires and all the stuff that goes along with them, then you'll be fine with this book. It's got kind of a 21st-century version of Roald Dahl thing going on - so a bunch of edgy stuff that kids will eat up and have a fun time reading. I think it's pretty spooky/scary as well.
I read a one star review criticizing the make up of the family. And I get it. But I put that up to the author again being a Roald Dahl type who creates these characters and scenarios for the hilarity/weird factor and that kids/reluctant readers will eat it all up.
At it's heart this book is about friendship and caring for others.
It's a great book for anyone who doesn't enjoy reading.
I am usually not a fan of Vampire stories - just on the murder, biting, blood ickiness. This book, while having some of that, really makes it more humorous, and the murder - while attempted (lol) was closer to accidental... though very much aspirational.
If you're okay with vampires and all the stuff that goes along with them, then you'll be fine with this book. It's got kind of a 21st-century version of Roald Dahl thing going on - so a bunch of edgy stuff that kids will eat up and have a fun time reading. I think it's pretty spooky/scary as well.
I read a one star review criticizing the make up of the family. And I get it. But I put that up to the author again being a Roald Dahl type who creates these characters and scenarios for the hilarity/weird factor and that kids/reluctant readers will eat it all up.
At it's heart this book is about friendship and caring for others.
October 12, 2024
Still a really great year for reading with another 5 star book done.
A perfect book for the spooky season, has some good spooky and ghastly imagery.
Love how they handle the vampires in this, they feel scary and not like how they are normally done now a days
Leo and Minna have a nice journey to becoming friends, their bickering at times feel like what actual friends do, Minna is a fierce and brave character with a harsh past that really makes her feel real
Leo is such a good character, some can relate to her feelings on being alone in the world. Plus I enjoyed her drive to help Minna despite everything
The Orphanmaster was such a vile villain that You want to see pay for his actions. which thankfully he does
The setting also feels Gothic which I love
Goodreads score 5 stars
Real life score 7.5
A perfect book for the spooky season, has some good spooky and ghastly imagery.
Love how they handle the vampires in this, they feel scary and not like how they are normally done now a days
Leo and Minna have a nice journey to becoming friends, their bickering at times feel like what actual friends do, Minna is a fierce and brave character with a harsh past that really makes her feel real
Leo is such a good character, some can relate to her feelings on being alone in the world. Plus I enjoyed her drive to help Minna despite everything
The Orphanmaster was such a vile villain that You want to see pay for his actions. which thankfully he does
The setting also feels Gothic which I love
Goodreads score 5 stars
Real life score 7.5
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 1, 2021
I received a galley of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book has a content warning for child abuse.
This book just wasn't it for me. I would like to say it just isn't good but all the other reviews I've seen for this book are positive so maybe it's just me. I thought this book was incredibly boring and it just moved too slow. I felt like nothing happened until the end and even that felt pretty anti-climactic to me. The characters were so incredibly flat and one note to me. The evil characters were such stereotypes and charicatures that it was just painful. The writing was a pain as well. I typically like a story with a narrarrator that has nothing to do with the plot but this just felt really obnoxious. The author also felt the need to write in all caps every other sentence and I mean I do that a lot too but I'm not writing a published novel. It annoyed me to no end. I typically don't make note of writing that often but this writing just annoyed me a bit too much. This book has some very basic vampire lore but there are some unique aspects to it and those took a bit too long to explain, in my opinion. I was so confused for a while. The ghost lore also wasn't explained as much as I would want to. So yeah, I had a horrible time reading this book and even considered DNF'ing it a couple of times but I just love vampires too much to do so.
This book has a content warning for child abuse.
This book just wasn't it for me. I would like to say it just isn't good but all the other reviews I've seen for this book are positive so maybe it's just me. I thought this book was incredibly boring and it just moved too slow. I felt like nothing happened until the end and even that felt pretty anti-climactic to me. The characters were so incredibly flat and one note to me. The evil characters were such stereotypes and charicatures that it was just painful. The writing was a pain as well. I typically like a story with a narrarrator that has nothing to do with the plot but this just felt really obnoxious. The author also felt the need to write in all caps every other sentence and I mean I do that a lot too but I'm not writing a published novel. It annoyed me to no end. I typically don't make note of writing that often but this writing just annoyed me a bit too much. This book has some very basic vampire lore but there are some unique aspects to it and those took a bit too long to explain, in my opinion. I was so confused for a while. The ghost lore also wasn't explained as much as I would want to. So yeah, I had a horrible time reading this book and even considered DNF'ing it a couple of times but I just love vampires too much to do so.
January 27, 2022
2.75 Stars
Honestly I considered DNFing this a few times while reading.
While it had the great components of a spooky middle-grade it just didn't FEEL right. I know that's a weird thing to base a book off of but I expect a certain excitement with spooky mid-grades and this just didn't deliver.
The pacing was a little all over the place. There was not enough world building for me and far too many things that just didn't make sense. I feel like this needed another good editing pass to really shine.
I really loved Leo but Minna was kinda terrible.
I received an eARC from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Cover 4; characters 3; plot 3; pace 2; writing 3; enjoyment 2
Honestly I considered DNFing this a few times while reading.
While it had the great components of a spooky middle-grade it just didn't FEEL right. I know that's a weird thing to base a book off of but I expect a certain excitement with spooky mid-grades and this just didn't deliver.
The pacing was a little all over the place. There was not enough world building for me and far too many things that just didn't make sense. I feel like this needed another good editing pass to really shine.
I really loved Leo but Minna was kinda terrible.
I received an eARC from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Cover 4; characters 3; plot 3; pace 2; writing 3; enjoyment 2
May 10, 2022
This was a fun and cute middle grade. Just the right amount of spooky for anyone who gets easily afraid in my opinion. I would like to read more about Leo and any other cooky adventures she gets up too, she is only 111. She has a long undead life ahead of her. I'm not sure what I was expecting when I started this but I was pleasantly surprised.
Leo is off to finally have her birthnight otherwise known as the night of her first kill. She has it all planned out which quickly does not work out for her. She ends up teaming up with a very unlikely friend to help stop the evil orphanmaster before he gets his full power and hurts any of the towns people. All in hopes of keeping her mess she has created from her parents and her nanny.
Leo is off to finally have her birthnight otherwise known as the night of her first kill. She has it all planned out which quickly does not work out for her. She ends up teaming up with a very unlikely friend to help stop the evil orphanmaster before he gets his full power and hurts any of the towns people. All in hopes of keeping her mess she has created from her parents and her nanny.
May 30, 2025
Leo is an 11- year old vampire... actually a 111- year old vampire. On her 111th birthday she must go out and accomplish her first kill. Things go horribly wrong when she encounters the Orphan Master, the cruel director of the orphan home. By the end of the night she has not only turned him into a ghost, but she has also turned an orphan girl named Minna into one as well. The Orphan Master is an evil spirit with plans to do great harm and it is Leo and Minna's job to stop him. Leo and Minna must gather supplies and sneak around behind Leo's parents' backs to accomplish this task. None of it will be easy but there is simply no choice.
The audio book version is well-done and lots of fun. It is intended for middle-grade readers but would probably be enjoyed by young adults too!
The audio book version is well-done and lots of fun. It is intended for middle-grade readers but would probably be enjoyed by young adults too!
March 27, 2022
Middle grade. Horror. Vampires.
Story: Leo is about to turn one hundred and eleven years old. She is required to kill and drink blood from a human for the first time herself. Leo is uncertain about completing the task. Luckily her vampire mother will be out of town.
Language: red printed edges, b&w illustrations remind of Chris Mould, present day, hidden castle in the middle of forest and mountains.
Characters: Leo is a girl vampire, her mother terrifying, her father academic snd her butler nanny a knight. Side character ghost.
Wasn't sure going in how cheesy this would be but ended up quite fun. Very fluffy, mildly scary and good characters.
Story: Leo is about to turn one hundred and eleven years old. She is required to kill and drink blood from a human for the first time herself. Leo is uncertain about completing the task. Luckily her vampire mother will be out of town.
Language: red printed edges, b&w illustrations remind of Chris Mould, present day, hidden castle in the middle of forest and mountains.
Characters: Leo is a girl vampire, her mother terrifying, her father academic snd her butler nanny a knight. Side character ghost.
Wasn't sure going in how cheesy this would be but ended up quite fun. Very fluffy, mildly scary and good characters.
June 23, 2023
I went to Whitby last year and the gift shop for Whitby Abbey had a lot of vampire books. I made a list and have been gradually working through them. This is a good story but I listened to the audio book and found it slow. It is a young adult fiction book but I would have finished it much more quickly and enjoyed it more if I had read at my speed. The protagonist is a young vampire preparing for her first kill. She’s not like her family and struggling to find her place in family and life.
August 2, 2021
This is delightfully dark and will be perfect around Halloween! A brilliant plot with an epic battle at the end that made me want to keep reading. Leo and Minna are wonderful characters and fiercely brave! I really enjoyed this story: vampires, coming of age, friendship and a battle between good and evil. I loved Marged and I am so glad Leo has someone like that on her side!
October 14, 2021
Absolutely loved this book. Aimed at middle schoolers it didn't disappoint this big kid lol. If you have a 9+ child who likes a bit of adventure with a touch of vampire and ghost then you can't go wrong with this book. I got so caught up in the final battle I found myself holding my breath! Immensely entertaining and I can't wait for the next chapter of Leo and Minnas adventures. 10/10
October 23, 2021
I'm a sucker for a vampire book and this was such a fun middle-grade read! Not only the cover design and illustrations are beyond stunning, it's just a lovely story about a young vampire Leo, her family, trying to meet certain expectations and making unexpected friendships. It's funny and fast-paced and full of excellent vampire lore!
March 31, 2023
I didn’t actually finish this book b/c it was coming due and on hold for someone else. I thought it was well-written and entertaining. I think older elementary kids or maybe younger MS kids would like it if they want a quirky, supernatural story. The main gist is to be true to yourself and help others- but with vampires and ghosts as the MCs.
October 19, 2021
Great fun! I'm enjoying lighter reads at present due to bereavement, and always on the lookout for new reads for my kids.
Really enjoyed this, great characterisation and a great take on a traditional vampire story.
Can't wait for the next adventure!
Really enjoyed this, great characterisation and a great take on a traditional vampire story.
Can't wait for the next adventure!
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