
Release Date: May 25th 2021
Publisher: Titan Books
Pages: 293
Find it on: Goodreads. BookDepository. Waterstones.
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review
Rating: 4.25/5 stars
Synopsis
Eleven fresh vampire stories from young adult fiction’s leading voices!
In this delicious new collection, you’ll find stories about lurking vampires of social media, rebellious vampires hungry for more than just blood, eager vampires coming out―and going out for their first kill―and other bold, breathtaking, dangerous, dreamy, eerie, iconic, powerful creatures of the night.
Welcome to the evolution of the vampire―and a revolution on the page.
Vampires Never Get Old includes stories by authors both bestselling and acclaimed, including Samira Ahmed, Dhonielle Clayton, Zoraida Córdova and Natalie C. Parker, Tessa Gratton, Heidi Heilig, Julie Murphy, Mark Oshiro, Rebecca Roanhorse, Laura Ruby, Victoria “V. E.” Schwab, and Kayla Whaley.
Review
Vampires Never Get Old is a fun anthology containing eleven stories that all put a fresh spin on the vampire story. I’m a big fan of vampire novels so I was really intrigued by this, particularly as it contained stories from writers I’m a big fan of. It’s a relatively short book and I ended up racing through most of them in a single day. I loved the way these authors took the vampire story and turned it on its head, coming up with stories that felt unique and engaging.
As with all anthologies, there were some stories I really loved and some that I was less interested in. The one that stuck out most for me was the final one in the book – First Kill by V. E. Schwab. It’s a quick story and one that completely captured my attention. I turned the final page and couldn’t believe that was the end. I absolutely want more and I cannot wait to see what happens with the TV adaption.
I similarly really enjoyed The Boys From Blood River by Rebecca Roanhorse which was eerie and gave me serious Lost Boys vibes. The House of Black Sapphires was my other favourite and I definitely felt like I wanted more from both of them. If you’re a fan of vampire stories or you’re looking for a fun, quick anthology to dive into, Vampires Never Get Old is one to check out.


Such Pretty Things is the dark and chilling story of Clara and Stephen, two young children taken to stay with their aunt and uncle following their mother’s accident. Their aunt and uncle stay in a remote house and the children believe this will be a summer of exploration and play. Their Auntie has been hoping for children as long as she can remember, but when the children arrive with all their mess and bad behaviour, Auntie struggles to cope. As the children uncover secrets Auntie had long kept hidden it will rip apart their family forever.

Tall Bones is without a doubt my favourite mystery novel of 2021. This utterly unforgettable book follows the residents of Whistling Ridge as a young girl named Abi goes missing after a party in the woods. As the search to uncover what happened to Abi begins, questions and long-held resentments are brought to the surface. Will the truth of what really happened be revealed – and at what cost?

Good Neighbours is the dark and sinister story of the residents of Maple Street, a suburban street that appears on the surface to be pretty perfect. When the Wildes move in the other residents quickly feel that the family don’t fit in and tensions begin to mount. When a sinkhole erupts in Sterling Park and one of the residents falls inside, it quickly brings accusations and secrets to the surface. As tensions climb higher it becomes one family against another – but will everyone survive unscathed?


Notes From the Burning Age is the newest release from Claire North, author of The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August. The story follows Ven who is tasked with interpreting ancient texts and sorting through the information inside. The information inside is closely guarded to stop a repeat of the burning age. When the Brotherhood persuade Ven to translate stolen texts, Ven has everything he knows turned upside down and Ven will have to use everything he knows to save the world.


Deepwater King is the second instalment in the beautiful Monstrous Heart trilogy by Claire McKenna. Monstrous Heart is a book that’s been on my radar for quite a while and I ended up reading both books back to back. Deepwater King picks up immediately after the events of Monstrous Heart and I found it so easy to get sucked back into the story. We are once again following Arden as she heads out on her journey to complete the rite and return Jonah’s spirit to the court of the deepwater king.


I’m a big horror movie fan so when I heard about The Last Girl I was immediately intrigued. The story follows Rachel, a young girl that attends a fancy school full of rich kids. Rachel finds comfort in the horror movies she loves, but when she stumbles across the Mary Shelley Club – a group of students who carry out clever pranks designed to make their classmates scream. But Rachel soon learns everyone in the group has secrets, including her.

The Tsarina’s Daughter is the incredible new book from Ellen Alpsten, author of Tsarina. Having never read Tsarina I ended up reading both books back to back. I was just so engrossed in this story. Russian history isn’t something I know too much about but I was fascinated by the complex characters Alpsten has brought to life. The Tsarina’s Daughter follows the life of Elizabeth, daughter of Peter the Great and Catherine I. She is a beautiful young woman, the envy of all Russia and free to spend her time how she likes. When Elizabeth’s mother dies her world is turned upside down and she must learn to navigate the treacherous world she finds herself in.

Dragon Mage is a book that I have seen around quite a lot recently and I have heard nothing but incredible things. I went in with pretty high expectations and this brilliant coming of age story has immediately rocketed into my favourite books of 2021.


The Family Tree is the gripping story of Liz Catalano, a young woman living in New York with her cousin Andie. When Andie gets her a DNA ancestry kit as a present Liz signs up only to discover she’s adopted. As she goes in search of her biological family she is contacted by the FBI and becomes entangled in an investigation to discover the Tri-State Killer – a serial killer who has been abducting and murdering pairs of women for forty years. Can Liz uncover the truth behind her family, and can she do it in time to save his latest victims?

