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The Reluctant Vampire Queen #1
The Reluctant Vampire Queen
Meet Mo Merrydrew - independent young woman, Mini Battenberg fan, president of the debating society - and reluctant vampire queen ...
Fifteen-year-old Mo Merrydrew isn't exactly expecting to be asked to be Vampire Queen of Great Britain when she's cycling home from school one wet Tuesday evening. Apparently, she is 'the Chosen One'. Aside from being uncomfortable with the idea of unelected power (not very democratic), there's the blood drinking to consider (Mo is a vegetarian), and frankly it's just not really the sort of role Mo's looking for (she wants to aim for a real job in politics). But - if you're Vampire Queen, you probably don't have to do PE any more, and when the dreamy Luca, a vampire familiar, turns up, it all suddenly starts to look a bit more appealing ...
Geek Girl meets Buffy in a brilliantly funny new teen series from bestselling author Jo Simmons
Fifteen-year-old Mo Merrydrew isn't exactly expecting to be asked to be Vampire Queen of Great Britain when she's cycling home from school one wet Tuesday evening. Apparently, she is 'the Chosen One'. Aside from being uncomfortable with the idea of unelected power (not very democratic), there's the blood drinking to consider (Mo is a vegetarian), and frankly it's just not really the sort of role Mo's looking for (she wants to aim for a real job in politics). But - if you're Vampire Queen, you probably don't have to do PE any more, and when the dreamy Luca, a vampire familiar, turns up, it all suddenly starts to look a bit more appealing ...
Geek Girl meets Buffy in a brilliantly funny new teen series from bestselling author Jo Simmons
352 pages, Paperback
First published July 7, 2022
11 people are currently reading
328 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews
dnf
December 29, 2022I loved the premise but couldn't get into the writing style, it felt very slapstick and dated. I also found the reactions of Mo and her best friend to be entirely unbelievable for girls their age. It read more akin to the humorous middle-grade books I read to my children many years ago (I'm thinking Horrid Henry and Tracy Beaker) than a YA book written within the last 12 months.
As this was a library loan, I didn't feel the drive to get past the first few chapters. I won't rate it having read so little of the story but those chapters just weren't enough to grab and hold my attention.
26th Dec 2022
As this was a library loan, I didn't feel the drive to get past the first few chapters. I won't rate it having read so little of the story but those chapters just weren't enough to grab and hold my attention.
26th Dec 2022
November 20, 2022
1.5*
I feel like this book had all the good intentions, which makes me feel bad for rating it so low, but what this book brought in heart could not compensate for its very low quality.
It read so much younger than I had expected and I would personally argue that this book is targeted towards the wrong audience (young adults) and that the main characters were a bit too old for (or sometimes too young) for how they acted. It was very oddly paced and lacked a lot of logic and it just felt very... amateur...
Once I could look past all of its flaws, I did sort of enjoy it. I think. Or no, not really.
I feel like this book had all the good intentions, which makes me feel bad for rating it so low, but what this book brought in heart could not compensate for its very low quality.
It read so much younger than I had expected and I would personally argue that this book is targeted towards the wrong audience (young adults) and that the main characters were a bit too old for (or sometimes too young) for how they acted. It was very oddly paced and lacked a lot of logic and it just felt very... amateur...
Once I could look past all of its flaws, I did sort of enjoy it. I think. Or no, not really.
May 24, 2022
The Reluctant Vampire Queen is a brilliantly funny YA that I absolutely couldn’t put down! If you’ve ever enjoyed Louise Rennison’s Georgia Nicholson books, but wanted a bit more banter, maybe some bats, mini Battenberg’s and an eccentric 600 year old vampire, then this Geek Girl meets Buffy The Vampire slayer style YA should definitely be added to your TBR.
Brimming with humour, it follows Mo a determined and independent 15 year old who has her life (and career) already planned out. But on one wet Tuesday evening (whilst cycling home from school) Mo didn’t expect to become The Vampire Queen of Great Britain. Apparently she’s the ‘Chosen One’ but aside from being uncomfortable with unelected power (not very democratic) , the blood drinking (Mo’s a vegetarian) and not really the Job she’s looking for (she’s aiming for a real job in politics.)
But Vampire Queen’s probably don’t have to do P.E or deal with Tracy Caudwell (the resident bully) plus she’ll get to spend soo much time the dreamy Luca, vampire familiar—so the job does have its perks…
Honestly all of the characters were endearingly funny I loved Mo, the genuinely reluctant Vampire Queen who definitely prefers schoolwork and exam prep to vampire diplomacy. Her plans were honestly really entertaining to watch, even if they didn’t always go to plan. I liked Luca too who seemed super sweet (and cinnamon-rolly) plus the Diner and Brass Band scenes were amazing!
Bogdan, the eccentric 600 year old vampire that handpicked Mo for Vampire Queendom was also a really entertaining character and I absolutely adored his scenes with Mo. He honestly reminded me of Nandor from What We Do In The Shadows which and despite being a murderous vampire I couldn’t help but root for him a little.
It’s a fast paced, light hearted read that I found genuinely funny, and there’s soo many great moments that readers are bound to chuckle at so If you love YA Contemporary fantasy, Vampires or books by Holly Smalle I definitely recommend checking this out. It’s soo good!
A huge thank you to Hot Key Books and Netgalley for the e-arc.
Brimming with humour, it follows Mo a determined and independent 15 year old who has her life (and career) already planned out. But on one wet Tuesday evening (whilst cycling home from school) Mo didn’t expect to become The Vampire Queen of Great Britain. Apparently she’s the ‘Chosen One’ but aside from being uncomfortable with unelected power (not very democratic) , the blood drinking (Mo’s a vegetarian) and not really the Job she’s looking for (she’s aiming for a real job in politics.)
But Vampire Queen’s probably don’t have to do P.E or deal with Tracy Caudwell (the resident bully) plus she’ll get to spend soo much time the dreamy Luca, vampire familiar—so the job does have its perks…
Honestly all of the characters were endearingly funny I loved Mo, the genuinely reluctant Vampire Queen who definitely prefers schoolwork and exam prep to vampire diplomacy. Her plans were honestly really entertaining to watch, even if they didn’t always go to plan. I liked Luca too who seemed super sweet (and cinnamon-rolly) plus the Diner and Brass Band scenes were amazing!
Bogdan, the eccentric 600 year old vampire that handpicked Mo for Vampire Queendom was also a really entertaining character and I absolutely adored his scenes with Mo. He honestly reminded me of Nandor from What We Do In The Shadows which and despite being a murderous vampire I couldn’t help but root for him a little.
It’s a fast paced, light hearted read that I found genuinely funny, and there’s soo many great moments that readers are bound to chuckle at so If you love YA Contemporary fantasy, Vampires or books by Holly Smalle I definitely recommend checking this out. It’s soo good!
A huge thank you to Hot Key Books and Netgalley for the e-arc.
October 10, 2022
Was cute funny silly.. i liked it but... it felt more middle grade.. than ya and also i am sick of hearing about mini battenbergs!!!
July 10, 2023
Trigger warnings: blood, death, car accident, bullying
I wanted to love this, I really did. But it was just so over-the-top ridiculous that I ended up rolling my eyes basically the entire way through. Have I read worse things? Absolutely. Would I read this again? Definitely not. Would I recommend it to others? Eh.
I wanted to love this, I really did. But it was just so over-the-top ridiculous that I ended up rolling my eyes basically the entire way through. Have I read worse things? Absolutely. Would I read this again? Definitely not. Would I recommend it to others? Eh.
June 29, 2022
I have to be straight up with you, I didn't enjoy this. I hate leaving negative reviews but and try to find some good in this but honestly the only good thing was how much they mentioned mini battenbergs and that, considering the fact that they were always capitalised like a proper noun when they're not, isn't much to go on. I do read quite a bit of Teen/YA fiction and this sounded solidly up my alley. I've read plenty of books where the main character goofs and loses her friend over a boy. So many books where the main character can't tell anyone what's happening for fear of it all falling apart. And yet none of them were as naff as this.
I think it's a solid premise, don't get me wrong. I think this, written either by this author with some guidance by some greats of the Teen/YA fiction category, or written by one of those greats could have been excellent. But instead we're left with a brainiac main character who has no personality and only does stupid things, surrounded by other personality-less pipe cleaner people. I don't know why pipe cleaner people came to mind but you get my drift. It's shallow, no one is interesting, she's the 'Chosen One' because she just has 'something', there's no real consequences for her actions that aren't resolved a couple of days later and now she just gets to be the vampire queen? Gods preserve us from a sequel where she is the fake vampire queen queening it up.
I think it's a solid premise, don't get me wrong. I think this, written either by this author with some guidance by some greats of the Teen/YA fiction category, or written by one of those greats could have been excellent. But instead we're left with a brainiac main character who has no personality and only does stupid things, surrounded by other personality-less pipe cleaner people. I don't know why pipe cleaner people came to mind but you get my drift. It's shallow, no one is interesting, she's the 'Chosen One' because she just has 'something', there's no real consequences for her actions that aren't resolved a couple of days later and now she just gets to be the vampire queen? Gods preserve us from a sequel where she is the fake vampire queen queening it up.
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January 11, 2023Thank you to Jonathan Ball Publishers for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
This is not a terrible book, but I feel that, if not badly executed, there are many things wrong with this book.
Firstly, I admit, I am the wrong age for this book - it's been a very long time since I've been fifteen and I don't associate with any fifteen-year-olds - so I really couldn't relate. Secondly, and by no means lastly, there is no indication whatsoever as to WHY our dear Mo Merrydrew is"The Chosen One".
I got halfway through this and then I just couldn't anymore, sorry.
What is worse than a sparkly Twilight vampire? A vampire that is the epitome of the classic cliche...
This is not a terrible book, but I feel that, if not badly executed, there are many things wrong with this book.
Firstly, I admit, I am the wrong age for this book - it's been a very long time since I've been fifteen and I don't associate with any fifteen-year-olds - so I really couldn't relate. Secondly, and by no means lastly, there is no indication whatsoever as to WHY our dear Mo Merrydrew is"The Chosen One".
I got halfway through this and then I just couldn't anymore, sorry.
What is worse than a sparkly Twilight vampire? A vampire that is the epitome of the classic cliche...
July 4, 2022
Just couldn't get into this book!
I found the writing a bit too 'try hard' with the comedy. It didn't feel natural and just felt like the gags came first, and then the plot was written around them.
It also felt incredibly young - know its aimed for YA but felt more like middle grade.
Just didn't do it for me!
I found the writing a bit too 'try hard' with the comedy. It didn't feel natural and just felt like the gags came first, and then the plot was written around them.
It also felt incredibly young - know its aimed for YA but felt more like middle grade.
Just didn't do it for me!
June 27, 2022
Mo Merrydrew has a PLAN which involves studying hard, attending university and gaining a glittering career in politics or law. It does not involve boys and definitely didn’t feature vampires but it seems that the universe has an alternative plan for her. Will she accept the chosen one role that has been laid out for her and put her lifelong dreams on the back burner?
Or will she try to have it all?
The Geek Girl meets Buffy comparison is pretty spot on, think of the episode of Buffy where she meets Dracula, or the original Buffy movie, and you’ve got a good idea what you’d be heading into.
Other comparisons I’d give it would be an aged down What We Do in the Shadows or an aged up The Little Vampire. It did read a little young so fits very firmly in the teen bracket over what we’ve come to expect from YA. It’s very much a comedy rather than a horror.
The friendship between Mo and Lou is explored well, particularly when it is breaking down.
But who is the real villain of the piece? Mean girl Tracey or the Vampire King of Europe? Mo’s internal journey to fight her fear is important in terms of her success or failure to address the challenges of these two.
And then there is Luca, a vampire’s familiar, but also a dreamy cute hottie. I really enjoyed his character and how he provided a bridge between the vampire and human world. I also felt pretty sorry for him having to do a particular one of the familiar’s tasks. Queens are certainly demanding and Vampire Queens - even reluctant ones are no different.
Overall this was a really fun, pacy read, that seems to be the first in a series, and I’m very interested to see where it goes next.
I received an E-ARC of this book via netgalley. Opinions are all my own.
Or will she try to have it all?
The Geek Girl meets Buffy comparison is pretty spot on, think of the episode of Buffy where she meets Dracula, or the original Buffy movie, and you’ve got a good idea what you’d be heading into.
Other comparisons I’d give it would be an aged down What We Do in the Shadows or an aged up The Little Vampire. It did read a little young so fits very firmly in the teen bracket over what we’ve come to expect from YA. It’s very much a comedy rather than a horror.
The friendship between Mo and Lou is explored well, particularly when it is breaking down.
But who is the real villain of the piece? Mean girl Tracey or the Vampire King of Europe? Mo’s internal journey to fight her fear is important in terms of her success or failure to address the challenges of these two.
And then there is Luca, a vampire’s familiar, but also a dreamy cute hottie. I really enjoyed his character and how he provided a bridge between the vampire and human world. I also felt pretty sorry for him having to do a particular one of the familiar’s tasks. Queens are certainly demanding and Vampire Queens - even reluctant ones are no different.
Overall this was a really fun, pacy read, that seems to be the first in a series, and I’m very interested to see where it goes next.
I received an E-ARC of this book via netgalley. Opinions are all my own.
September 26, 2022
This book was just what I needed!
Meet Mo Merrydrew - independent young woman, committed vegetarian, president of the debating society. And, potentially, Vampire Queen of Great Britain. It's a role offered to her on a random Tuesday evening in October by Bogdan, an undead creature of the night in a dodgy suit, who may or may not have jumped out of the hedge. It doesn't fit with Mo's plan for her life, but she's about to learn that life doesn't go to plan. Should she say yes? Can she say no? Or maybe there's a way to haver her cake and eat it, without actually biting any humans...
This was such a fun, fast paced, and silly story. I enjoyed every minute of it. The plot was ridiculous but just so easy to read and very funny at times. I loved all the characters, especially Bogdan lol.
The writing is simple and definitely aimed towards young readers/teens but that didn't bother me at all. I think anyone of any age could enjoy this book as long as you go in knowing that it's not one to be taken seriously!
Meet Mo Merrydrew - independent young woman, committed vegetarian, president of the debating society. And, potentially, Vampire Queen of Great Britain. It's a role offered to her on a random Tuesday evening in October by Bogdan, an undead creature of the night in a dodgy suit, who may or may not have jumped out of the hedge. It doesn't fit with Mo's plan for her life, but she's about to learn that life doesn't go to plan. Should she say yes? Can she say no? Or maybe there's a way to haver her cake and eat it, without actually biting any humans...
This was such a fun, fast paced, and silly story. I enjoyed every minute of it. The plot was ridiculous but just so easy to read and very funny at times. I loved all the characters, especially Bogdan lol.
The writing is simple and definitely aimed towards young readers/teens but that didn't bother me at all. I think anyone of any age could enjoy this book as long as you go in knowing that it's not one to be taken seriously!
May 17, 2023
I was excited to read this and found it a light fun read. However, there were some things that felt off to me. Mo is supposed to be fifteen, but the things she says seem to be coming from a girl younger than that.
The vampire Bogden really shouldn’t be quested to find a vampire queen at all, he couldn’t see through the silliest blags ever.
It did make me laugh though and it was a good palette cleanser.
The vampire Bogden really shouldn’t be quested to find a vampire queen at all, he couldn’t see through the silliest blags ever.
It did make me laugh though and it was a good palette cleanser.
August 14, 2023
Weirdest thing I've read in a while. Definitely need t for my age demographic but it was still fun
June 13, 2022
Mo Merrydew and her friend Lou are used to being sneered at. Their mutual enemy is the delightfully awful Tracey, the queen bee of their school who thinks she knows best and who is determined to make everyone feel bad if they threaten her in any way.
On her way home from the library one night, Mo is accosted by Bogdan, a six hundred year old vampire who is convinced that she is the chosen one and that she will become Vampire Queen. He wants to convince her to turn and then rule Britain.
From start to finish this book was quite silly, but in such a delightfully appealing way that you can’t help but root for Mo. I’m not sure she talks like any fifteen year old I’ve ever come across, but the story is entertaining and a great piece of escapism.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this in advance of publication.
On her way home from the library one night, Mo is accosted by Bogdan, a six hundred year old vampire who is convinced that she is the chosen one and that she will become Vampire Queen. He wants to convince her to turn and then rule Britain.
From start to finish this book was quite silly, but in such a delightfully appealing way that you can’t help but root for Mo. I’m not sure she talks like any fifteen year old I’ve ever come across, but the story is entertaining and a great piece of escapism.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this in advance of publication.
October 9, 2022
Describing this read in 5 words is so easy!
Whitty
Hilarious
Friendship
Life lessons(lets pass that one as 1)
Neek(nerd and a geek combined)
I absolutely loved this quick read. I needed this one to keep me out of a reading slump.🥴
Mo was chosen to be Great Britain's Vampire Queen but she wanted it done on her terms. I loved how she feminized this whole "male" dominant role of a great and powerful vampire and made it her own! Bogdan was hilarious, he reminds me a bit of Alfred from Batman😂. There is also a bit of bully awareness and ideas on how to unbully your bully and the great Vampire King of the East😊
Together with her familiar, Luca and best friend Lou, she pulled off the biggest test of her life!
It's a book for teens but I would definitely recommend it for anyone✨️
Whitty
Hilarious
Friendship
Life lessons(lets pass that one as 1)
Neek(nerd and a geek combined)
I absolutely loved this quick read. I needed this one to keep me out of a reading slump.🥴
Mo was chosen to be Great Britain's Vampire Queen but she wanted it done on her terms. I loved how she feminized this whole "male" dominant role of a great and powerful vampire and made it her own! Bogdan was hilarious, he reminds me a bit of Alfred from Batman😂. There is also a bit of bully awareness and ideas on how to unbully your bully and the great Vampire King of the East😊
Together with her familiar, Luca and best friend Lou, she pulled off the biggest test of her life!
It's a book for teens but I would definitely recommend it for anyone✨️
July 7, 2022
Described as "Geek Girl" meets "Buffy", this book sounded right up my street! I loved, loved, loved this! Mo, a girl who gets bullied, thinks down on herself, suddenly gets told she's "The Chosen One - to become the Vampire Queen!" by a man who materialises infront of her one day, the man tells her his name is Bogdan, a vampire - omg! Her life is about to change if she can pull off her plan and in the process, get a loyal 'servant', Luca, who just happens to be a "hot guy" that is the envy of Mo's bully Tracey Caldwell. Well he definitely Caldwelled Caldwell! This is one of those un-putdownable books and I was hooked from the start!
Is being the Vampire Queen all it's lived up to be?
Is being the Vampire Queen all it's lived up to be?
March 4, 2023
This is stupidly hilarious. Mo doesn't act like a 15 year old, more like 12. I'm sure 12 year olds would love to read about her meteoric rise to power. I assume she was written as 15 because parents of a 12 year old wouldn't let her take quite so many moonlight vampire strolls in the woods. Although Mo's parents are very busy whittling and napping - they didn't notice all that yelling in the back shed.
And no one told me this was a series. It's self contained, so I'm not sure I'll continue reading, but 12 year old me might have other ideas...
And no one told me this was a series. It's self contained, so I'm not sure I'll continue reading, but 12 year old me might have other ideas...
June 15, 2023
I loved this, it was a great read, full of humour, the characters were fun and I loved the banter, this is a wonderful YA romcom with a vampire twist to it. I love reading a YA PNR with humour, it makes such a change from some of the darker reads (not that I don’t love them) but sometimes I need something humorous and this definitely filled a void i didn’t know I had.
Highly recommended
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Highly recommended
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 30, 2022
Originally posted on Just Geeking by.
Content warnings:
The Reluctant Vampire Queen sounded very interesting, unfortunately I got a bad feeling from the moment I started reading this book. I stopped reading at 47%, but honestly I should have stopped reading as soon as the first vampire character turned up with the stereotypical Eastern European accent. It was terrible, and what also bothers me is that a book written in 2022 referred to characters as “Eastern European” and being from “Eastern Europe” rather than providing them with a specific cultural identity. It gave the impression that the author had not bothered to fill out that part of the story, as well as assuming that young adult readers don’t need those details.
This is the first young adult novel by the author, Jo Simmons, in fact it’s her first book not written for children, and to be honest, that shows throughout the book. The language is very immature for a young adult, feeling more appropriate for a middle grade novel. Other than the character being sixteen and the quick (and awkward) discussion of consent with her mum, this could easily be a story about younger teenagers. Simmons’ use of slang is also all over the place, which I’m surprised an editor missed. At one point she uses modern slang when a bully calls Mo a “neek” (geek and nerd combined), and then later she uses slang which is two generations out of date when an adult asks Mo if she’s “going steady” with a boy. That’s the sort of language my grandparents would have used, not a modern day parent. Also having seen this mentioned in another review I want to add that writing mini-Battenbergs as a noun is not one of the author's transgressions. That is the correct British spelling of the cake; see this wikipedia page for reference.
The biggest transgression for me though is the way that Simmons does complete injustice to her own character. Mo is written as a smart girl, a geek who plans everything. So can someone please explain to me how her plan This is a girl who’s first instinct when faced with vampires is to go straight into research mode, yet when she decides she doesn’t research it at all? This is the point where I stopped reading as it was too ridiculous to contemplate.
What’s worse is that the vampire who turned her can’t tell that she’s not a vampire. I’m sorry, what?! The Reluctant Vampire Queen is a good example of why I’m not a fan of publishing’s current trend of comparing books with other books/franchises. Sometimes it’s accurate, often it’s just a publicity student to reel the reader in with false pretences and that is certainly the case here. I feel that whoever decided to make this comparison has never actually watched Butty, because anyone who has will remember a particular episode where Willow pretends to be a vampire and is found out not to be one pretty darn quickly. Yes, Buffy had a lot of comedic elements, but it took it’s supernatural world-building seriously. This book seems to have none at all which disappoints me. I loved the premise of this book, but it’s more high school romcom with vampires thrown in as a cool afterthought than anything actually supernatural. I personally didn’t really see the comedy side of this book, and perhaps if this was a TV show or a Mr Bean movie it would have been funny, instead it just comes off badly.
I’ve not read Geek Girl, so I can’t compare it, however, as a geek girl myself Mo feels very stereotypical. She feels like what people expect a geek or a nerd to be; good at school, only focused on school and making clubs that no one else ever joins. There is so much more to being a geek or nerd than academics, and yes, geeks and nerds are two different things. She even chooses to study over spending time with her best friend, Lou. Speaking of Lou, I’m not actually sure what the point of the character is as she is seriously underutilised as an actual best friend. As soon as “dreamy Luca” comes on the scene Mo pretty much drops her bestie (for her “own good”).
I’m sure The Reluctant Vampire Queen will work for some people, but if you read the plot and thought “hey this sounds great” and like a more serious urban fantasy novel, then I would give it a pass. It’s sadly not that kind of book.
For more of my reviews please visit my blog!
Content warnings:
The Reluctant Vampire Queen sounded very interesting, unfortunately I got a bad feeling from the moment I started reading this book. I stopped reading at 47%, but honestly I should have stopped reading as soon as the first vampire character turned up with the stereotypical Eastern European accent. It was terrible, and what also bothers me is that a book written in 2022 referred to characters as “Eastern European” and being from “Eastern Europe” rather than providing them with a specific cultural identity. It gave the impression that the author had not bothered to fill out that part of the story, as well as assuming that young adult readers don’t need those details.
This is the first young adult novel by the author, Jo Simmons, in fact it’s her first book not written for children, and to be honest, that shows throughout the book. The language is very immature for a young adult, feeling more appropriate for a middle grade novel. Other than the character being sixteen and the quick (and awkward) discussion of consent with her mum, this could easily be a story about younger teenagers. Simmons’ use of slang is also all over the place, which I’m surprised an editor missed. At one point she uses modern slang when a bully calls Mo a “neek” (geek and nerd combined), and then later she uses slang which is two generations out of date when an adult asks Mo if she’s “going steady” with a boy. That’s the sort of language my grandparents would have used, not a modern day parent. Also having seen this mentioned in another review I want to add that writing mini-Battenbergs as a noun is not one of the author's transgressions. That is the correct British spelling of the cake; see this wikipedia page for reference.
The biggest transgression for me though is the way that Simmons does complete injustice to her own character. Mo is written as a smart girl, a geek who plans everything. So can someone please explain to me how her plan This is a girl who’s first instinct when faced with vampires is to go straight into research mode, yet when she decides she doesn’t research it at all? This is the point where I stopped reading as it was too ridiculous to contemplate.
What’s worse is that the vampire who turned her can’t tell that she’s not a vampire. I’m sorry, what?! The Reluctant Vampire Queen is a good example of why I’m not a fan of publishing’s current trend of comparing books with other books/franchises. Sometimes it’s accurate, often it’s just a publicity student to reel the reader in with false pretences and that is certainly the case here. I feel that whoever decided to make this comparison has never actually watched Butty, because anyone who has will remember a particular episode where Willow pretends to be a vampire and is found out not to be one pretty darn quickly. Yes, Buffy had a lot of comedic elements, but it took it’s supernatural world-building seriously. This book seems to have none at all which disappoints me. I loved the premise of this book, but it’s more high school romcom with vampires thrown in as a cool afterthought than anything actually supernatural. I personally didn’t really see the comedy side of this book, and perhaps if this was a TV show or a Mr Bean movie it would have been funny, instead it just comes off badly.
I’ve not read Geek Girl, so I can’t compare it, however, as a geek girl myself Mo feels very stereotypical. She feels like what people expect a geek or a nerd to be; good at school, only focused on school and making clubs that no one else ever joins. There is so much more to being a geek or nerd than academics, and yes, geeks and nerds are two different things. She even chooses to study over spending time with her best friend, Lou. Speaking of Lou, I’m not actually sure what the point of the character is as she is seriously underutilised as an actual best friend. As soon as “dreamy Luca” comes on the scene Mo pretty much drops her bestie (for her “own good”).
I’m sure The Reluctant Vampire Queen will work for some people, but if you read the plot and thought “hey this sounds great” and like a more serious urban fantasy novel, then I would give it a pass. It’s sadly not that kind of book.
For more of my reviews please visit my blog!
August 15, 2022
This was so cute and really funny in places, had me giggling. The characters are so nice and even the vampires were so fun. Can't wait to carry on the series.
September 24, 2022
More like a 3.5 stars
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October 20, 2023I can't give this a rating as it's more of a book for my kids. My daughter (8) had just started reading it and is enjoying the book so far.
October 10, 2022
‘Thank you for the offer, Mighty Steve,’ Mo said, ‘but I don’t need a husband. I’m the strong and independent type. I can rule alone, with a little help from my familiar, of course.’
What would you do if you’re a smart teenage girl and was suddenly offered to become a Vampire Queen? Mo Merrydrew definitely rejected it adamantly. But maybe she’ll be able to fake being a Vampire Queen and live happily with her new cute familiar. Or… maybe not.
This book has been a cute and rather fast-paced read, and I enjoyed both the plot and characters. I love that the main character, Mo, has strong goals that she refuse to give in to. And even when she made mistakes, she owns up to it and settles everything on her own accord. Mo Merrydrew style ✨
Also shoutout to Lou for being the most fun best friend, Luca for being so supportive (despite distracting Mo’s future plans so badly 👀) and well, Bogdan too I guess, for believing in Mo although he’s weird.
I think this book will be a great read for beginners, or when you need a fun light read. There’s not many vampire-y moments though, but with a headstrong female character and a cute loyal familiar, it’s enough to keep things entertaining ✨🧛🏻♀️
Many thanks to Pansing for sending me the ARC of The Reluctant Vampire Queen in exchange for my honest review. This book is now available in all good bookstores!
July 10, 2022
Personally this one is not for me! It is good for the age range it is targeted towards and I liked the idea but there was no depth behind it. It's quite rushed and I just didn't understand why the main character went through what she did
July 25, 2022
This is Jo Simmons’s first novel for teenagers and I’m happy to learn that it is the first in a trilogy set.
The story follows Mo Merrydew who has The Plan - a plan which will lead to a bright and successful future. However, Bogdan, a 600 year old vampire, has other plans. Mo is the chosen one but she is reluctant to take up the role of Vampire Queen. She must somehow keep her friends and family safe whilst navigating the vampire world.
This was a fun and engaging story and I’m looking forward to reading the next in the series.
I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley for an honest review.
The story follows Mo Merrydew who has The Plan - a plan which will lead to a bright and successful future. However, Bogdan, a 600 year old vampire, has other plans. Mo is the chosen one but she is reluctant to take up the role of Vampire Queen. She must somehow keep her friends and family safe whilst navigating the vampire world.
This was a fun and engaging story and I’m looking forward to reading the next in the series.
I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley for an honest review.
March 29, 2024
As of right now, I'm not even done with the book and I have so many questions:
- Why does the protagonist act like she's 12 rather than 15? Nothing is thought through EVER, every scheme she comes up with is unsubstantiated by reason or common sense and the style of writing completely complies with this laisez-faire attitude. If we don't address the problem, then obviously it doesn't exist.
- Why is there zero world building? Maybe the reason the protagonist (and can we also talk about how stupid a name 'Mo' is, if it isn't a nickname or abbreviation of some kind?) doesn't think anything through, is because the author cannot be bothered to make sense of their own creation. Who cares about the whys and wheres and hows of this world, where vampires apparently exist, but no one wants to address what that means for the world as a whole? How many are there? How does no one know they exist, if they're as bad at subterfuge as Bogdan is? Why is Mo supposedly "The Chosen One" and what does that even mean???
You can usually tell if an author has created a complex world, but is holding back information for dramatic effect. That is not the case here. I'm beginning to suspect the author simply doesn't know their own setting at all (or cares that much, to be honest). Now, I've worked with children's literature for 9 years - I KNOW there's a lot of quality out there and I know what it looks like. This ain't it.
- Why are the characters so 2-dimensional? This circles back to the style of the book. It's written with children in mind, but it's pretending otherwise. That is the only explanation for the ham-fisted approach to character building. And writing for a juvenile audience is not an excuse to write badly or to omit details that could further the emotional investment into the plot progression.
Mo is "the smart girl" because she cares about her grades and likes to borrow weird books at the library. This is what we learn just within the first three pages, yet she never thinks before she enacts short-sighted, ridiculous plans or stops to consider the consequences of any given action. She never actually acts smart, we're just supposed to believe that she is.
Even the school bully has only one avenue of attack - "this is my school bus/locker room/cafe/sidewalk etc. You're not allowed here" - eeehhhmm, okay? Could you maybe make your insults more creative or even the least bit threatening? Why should I believe that this girl has terrorised Mo and Lou for years, when she has the devastating emotional impact of a mosquito?
My friend insisted I read this book because she thought it was hilariously funny. It's not. It's not unreadable or terrible or offensive by any means. It's just a sad waste of time and ink for anyone over the age of 12.
Edit: the ending did nothing to improve the situation at all.
- Why does the protagonist act like she's 12 rather than 15? Nothing is thought through EVER, every scheme she comes up with is unsubstantiated by reason or common sense and the style of writing completely complies with this laisez-faire attitude. If we don't address the problem, then obviously it doesn't exist.
- Why is there zero world building? Maybe the reason the protagonist (and can we also talk about how stupid a name 'Mo' is, if it isn't a nickname or abbreviation of some kind?) doesn't think anything through, is because the author cannot be bothered to make sense of their own creation. Who cares about the whys and wheres and hows of this world, where vampires apparently exist, but no one wants to address what that means for the world as a whole? How many are there? How does no one know they exist, if they're as bad at subterfuge as Bogdan is? Why is Mo supposedly "The Chosen One" and what does that even mean???
You can usually tell if an author has created a complex world, but is holding back information for dramatic effect. That is not the case here. I'm beginning to suspect the author simply doesn't know their own setting at all (or cares that much, to be honest). Now, I've worked with children's literature for 9 years - I KNOW there's a lot of quality out there and I know what it looks like. This ain't it.
- Why are the characters so 2-dimensional? This circles back to the style of the book. It's written with children in mind, but it's pretending otherwise. That is the only explanation for the ham-fisted approach to character building. And writing for a juvenile audience is not an excuse to write badly or to omit details that could further the emotional investment into the plot progression.
Mo is "the smart girl" because she cares about her grades and likes to borrow weird books at the library. This is what we learn just within the first three pages, yet she never thinks before she enacts short-sighted, ridiculous plans or stops to consider the consequences of any given action. She never actually acts smart, we're just supposed to believe that she is.
Even the school bully has only one avenue of attack - "this is my school bus/locker room/cafe/sidewalk etc. You're not allowed here" - eeehhhmm, okay? Could you maybe make your insults more creative or even the least bit threatening? Why should I believe that this girl has terrorised Mo and Lou for years, when she has the devastating emotional impact of a mosquito?
My friend insisted I read this book because she thought it was hilariously funny. It's not. It's not unreadable or terrible or offensive by any means. It's just a sad waste of time and ink for anyone over the age of 12.
Edit: the ending did nothing to improve the situation at all.
June 21, 2022
I want to start by saying I am likely not the intended audience. Growing up with TV shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel and Charmed I thought this may be a sort of nostalgic trip down memory lane with some funny quirky characters and vampires.
Unfortunately even when I kept in mind this may be for someone younger than myself I was questioning just how young. A few reviews see this as Young Adult and normally I find these enjoyable with The Reluctant Vampire Queen I felt it sometimes changed it’s aim and intended audience. From young adult to very early teen. Personally I’d put it towards early teen rather than young adult. Or perhaps, as I say it was just not for me.
We follow Mo Merrydrew who is the stereotypical geek of the school but suddenly becomes The Chosen One. She is meant to become the Vampire Queen of Great Britain. Only Mo has The Plan she wants to follow and it doesn’t involve being turned into a Vampire or ruling over anyone unelected.
Beyond seeing bits of myself from my school days in Mo I couldn’t really connect with any of the characters. There didn’t seem to be any development throughout which made me think this is more intended for younger teens. I appreciate it was partly meant to be funny but I also found the contradiction in Mo’s character as soon as the ‘handsome’ Luca appears to be rather frustrating.
That said it wasn’t all bad. There were some funny lines and parts that I will remember and stick with me, always a good sign. It was also an easy and quick read. So if you are looking for a bit of fun and fluff to bridge your reading or just something to unwind to with a supernatural and funny vibe this might be for you. I think my view was skewed with my expectations and the changing in style. I certainly have and do enjoy the occasional middle grade and younger teen story I found this one just missed the mark for me. I do think it may be a good stepping stone for teens looking to go into the more supernatural genre.
I’ve rounded this up to four stars though purely because of the Monty Python reference. At least I hoped it was one about the election of ruling officials. That did make me laugh. I also want to add there is a lot of ‘British’ Humour which may not be fully appreciated by an international audience. And Bogdan. I did like Bogdan. He deserves at least half a star on his own.
As always thank you to Netgalley and HotKey Books. I have left this review voluntarily.
Unfortunately even when I kept in mind this may be for someone younger than myself I was questioning just how young. A few reviews see this as Young Adult and normally I find these enjoyable with The Reluctant Vampire Queen I felt it sometimes changed it’s aim and intended audience. From young adult to very early teen. Personally I’d put it towards early teen rather than young adult. Or perhaps, as I say it was just not for me.
We follow Mo Merrydrew who is the stereotypical geek of the school but suddenly becomes The Chosen One. She is meant to become the Vampire Queen of Great Britain. Only Mo has The Plan she wants to follow and it doesn’t involve being turned into a Vampire or ruling over anyone unelected.
Beyond seeing bits of myself from my school days in Mo I couldn’t really connect with any of the characters. There didn’t seem to be any development throughout which made me think this is more intended for younger teens. I appreciate it was partly meant to be funny but I also found the contradiction in Mo’s character as soon as the ‘handsome’ Luca appears to be rather frustrating.
That said it wasn’t all bad. There were some funny lines and parts that I will remember and stick with me, always a good sign. It was also an easy and quick read. So if you are looking for a bit of fun and fluff to bridge your reading or just something to unwind to with a supernatural and funny vibe this might be for you. I think my view was skewed with my expectations and the changing in style. I certainly have and do enjoy the occasional middle grade and younger teen story I found this one just missed the mark for me. I do think it may be a good stepping stone for teens looking to go into the more supernatural genre.
I’ve rounded this up to four stars though purely because of the Monty Python reference. At least I hoped it was one about the election of ruling officials. That did make me laugh. I also want to add there is a lot of ‘British’ Humour which may not be fully appreciated by an international audience. And Bogdan. I did like Bogdan. He deserves at least half a star on his own.
As always thank you to Netgalley and HotKey Books. I have left this review voluntarily.
May 14, 2023
I know I’m not the target audience for this book, but I’ve read enough YA and children’s fiction to feel like I could give it a fair review, and although I liked the idea of it, it just didn’t work.
Mo is a typical 15 year old, studying for her exams and stout vegetarian, when she meets an ancient vampire who decides she is to be the next Vampire Queen of Great Britain. How will she manage to juggle her normal life when there’s now the addition of vampires in it?
Firstly, this is billed as YA, but it’s definitely more middle grade, and I think that’s where I found the issue… the characters were written incredibly young and immature (despite the fact they were supposed to be 16 years old), and I just couldn’t figure out who would enjoy it. The way Mo behaves and talks is not how a 15-year-old behaves and talks, and don’t get me started on the so-called vampires… honestly so ridiculous it’s painful.
The book was silly to the point of cheesy and honestly, laughable, and the characters weren’t even very likeable, so it was difficult to engage with. I didn’t find it particularly funny or witty, and the plot was thin and lacked any depth. In fact, the plot holes were verging on craters and for a fantasy book, there was just no world building so the fact that this is book one of a trilogy is somewhat worrying.
It’s targeted as a cross between Geek Girl and Buffy…. Buffy? Do not insult what was one of the best teenage programmes ever made. Buffy used intelligent humour and ingenious metaphors, had layered and developed characters… this has a best friend who eats Battenbergs and does very little else
There are some incredibly written, stylish and clever YA books, and next to them, this honestly reads as something for 7-9 year olds. It tries to be funny, but it’s ludicrous and patronising and I think our young adult readers deserve more; they’ve been cheated with this.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Mo is a typical 15 year old, studying for her exams and stout vegetarian, when she meets an ancient vampire who decides she is to be the next Vampire Queen of Great Britain. How will she manage to juggle her normal life when there’s now the addition of vampires in it?
Firstly, this is billed as YA, but it’s definitely more middle grade, and I think that’s where I found the issue… the characters were written incredibly young and immature (despite the fact they were supposed to be 16 years old), and I just couldn’t figure out who would enjoy it. The way Mo behaves and talks is not how a 15-year-old behaves and talks, and don’t get me started on the so-called vampires… honestly so ridiculous it’s painful.
The book was silly to the point of cheesy and honestly, laughable, and the characters weren’t even very likeable, so it was difficult to engage with. I didn’t find it particularly funny or witty, and the plot was thin and lacked any depth. In fact, the plot holes were verging on craters and for a fantasy book, there was just no world building so the fact that this is book one of a trilogy is somewhat worrying.
It’s targeted as a cross between Geek Girl and Buffy…. Buffy? Do not insult what was one of the best teenage programmes ever made. Buffy used intelligent humour and ingenious metaphors, had layered and developed characters… this has a best friend who eats Battenbergs and does very little else
There are some incredibly written, stylish and clever YA books, and next to them, this honestly reads as something for 7-9 year olds. It tries to be funny, but it’s ludicrous and patronising and I think our young adult readers deserve more; they’ve been cheated with this.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing this novel in exchange for an honest review.
August 16, 2022
Honestly, I picked this one up for a bit of a fun, silly read. Unfortunately, for me, it was a lot more contrived teenage angst and trashy plot than I was prepared for ...
I normally think of myself as being pretty generous with reviews If it's a middling book but I didn't hate it, it's 3 stars, 4 stars is enjoyed it, 5 stars is loved it. Things occasionally make it to 2 stars, and rarely 1 star. But I'll make an exception for this. And that sounds really mean and I hate leaving negative reviews, but this was really not the one for me.
I was expecting light-hearted teenage banter, some funny and fabulous vampires and a smart girl out-witting the undead. Instead, I got uncomfortable and repetitive teenage angst, Eastern European vampire stereotypes and a Vampire King that starts off Bowie and ends up confusing himself. We also have Mo as the 'Chosen One' for completely unclear and unanswerable reasons. And a bully whose main tactic seems to be 'what are you doing on my bus'.
Not to mention the whole vampire monarchy/hierarchy sounded like complete nonsense. The thing I most enjoyed was when Mo started receiving correspondence from isolated vampire groups across the country. But even this grade A student couldn't write a decent letter back, and definitely didn't come up with a plan that would pass in any other scenario.
Mo's sudden and dramatic love interest was a hormone surge that had previously been directed to mini battenbergs and GCSE revision. And a love interest that she would apparently do anything for, including attempting to trick vampires just so she could spend another moment with him.
I made it through, but quite honestly I found it uncomfortable reading. It felt like the way teen fiction used to be written 10 or 15 years ago and it doesn't stand up in comparison to what else is out there now.
I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I normally think of myself as being pretty generous with reviews If it's a middling book but I didn't hate it, it's 3 stars, 4 stars is enjoyed it, 5 stars is loved it. Things occasionally make it to 2 stars, and rarely 1 star. But I'll make an exception for this. And that sounds really mean and I hate leaving negative reviews, but this was really not the one for me.
I was expecting light-hearted teenage banter, some funny and fabulous vampires and a smart girl out-witting the undead. Instead, I got uncomfortable and repetitive teenage angst, Eastern European vampire stereotypes and a Vampire King that starts off Bowie and ends up confusing himself. We also have Mo as the 'Chosen One' for completely unclear and unanswerable reasons. And a bully whose main tactic seems to be 'what are you doing on my bus'.
Not to mention the whole vampire monarchy/hierarchy sounded like complete nonsense. The thing I most enjoyed was when Mo started receiving correspondence from isolated vampire groups across the country. But even this grade A student couldn't write a decent letter back, and definitely didn't come up with a plan that would pass in any other scenario.
Mo's sudden and dramatic love interest was a hormone surge that had previously been directed to mini battenbergs and GCSE revision. And a love interest that she would apparently do anything for, including attempting to trick vampires just so she could spend another moment with him.
I made it through, but quite honestly I found it uncomfortable reading. It felt like the way teen fiction used to be written 10 or 15 years ago and it doesn't stand up in comparison to what else is out there now.
I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
July 5, 2022
This is really quite a silly story. It's supposed to be funny, and I get it, really i understand why and wherenshould be funny but it wasn't for me. basically everything that happens is nonsense, the vampires are ridiculous and make no sense. There is no reasons for why Mo is the chosen one. Nor there are any reasons why she takes the decision she takes. Most of the situation with the vampire that should've been funny weren't really funny. I love nonsense in general when it is well presented and with a nonsense in general world building. this was a little too out of the blue. The world building arround the vampires wasn't there, they don't even have a cultural background as they are, from the east, That's all...
The story of overcoming bullying the growth of the main character, learning how to stand for herself, and the friendship story were nice though. And lots of people can relate to it, I know I did. There are some big teaching in here. So that was the part of this that I enjoyed. I usually enjoy teens and YA books but this one was too childish for me and I was bored for 3 quarters of the book. I found the end of the book, dealing with the truth and the king of the East very entretainng if only more of the book would have been like that. I think the youngest in teens and ya would likely enjoy this book much more than I did.
The story of overcoming bullying the growth of the main character, learning how to stand for herself, and the friendship story were nice though. And lots of people can relate to it, I know I did. There are some big teaching in here. So that was the part of this that I enjoyed. I usually enjoy teens and YA books but this one was too childish for me and I was bored for 3 quarters of the book. I found the end of the book, dealing with the truth and the king of the East very entretainng if only more of the book would have been like that. I think the youngest in teens and ya would likely enjoy this book much more than I did.
July 18, 2025
Okay so is this book bad? No not exactly, obviously for a younger audience but that’s a reader error I’ve made in picking it up at my library’s “teen section”. The storyline itself often drags on at times relying on the romantic aspects to keep it a float however suspense is well created in some scenes and I never found myself being bored reading it.
The characters felt almost as if they were missing something? Which is fair game considering their all kids who are progressing at their own respective rates, the vampire aspect was funny in some ways and odd in others and the over all themes shown where pretty good for a younger audience having an overall positive message about anti-bullying and self acceptance that was quite nice to read.
The third person narrative was tedious at first and made me relate to the character a lot less however at times it worked pretty well. Luca definitely needs more development as a character as well as other side characters like Jez who was kinda built up as if to have a purpose then just…didn’t?
However overall it’s a pretty cute read for a younger teen audience of like 13 and up offering cute sub plots of romance and friendship while not harbouring anything to gothic or bloody of the usual vampire genre. And mini battenbergs are the best :).
The characters felt almost as if they were missing something? Which is fair game considering their all kids who are progressing at their own respective rates, the vampire aspect was funny in some ways and odd in others and the over all themes shown where pretty good for a younger audience having an overall positive message about anti-bullying and self acceptance that was quite nice to read.
The third person narrative was tedious at first and made me relate to the character a lot less however at times it worked pretty well. Luca definitely needs more development as a character as well as other side characters like Jez who was kinda built up as if to have a purpose then just…didn’t?
However overall it’s a pretty cute read for a younger teen audience of like 13 and up offering cute sub plots of romance and friendship while not harbouring anything to gothic or bloody of the usual vampire genre. And mini battenbergs are the best :).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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