Hello, everyone! Today I’m reviewing The Good Vampire’s Guide to Blood & Boyfriends by Jamie D’Amato. I picked up this eARC on a whim because I love a good vampire romance, especially if its queer. The blurb made this one sounded really fun. Did I love it? Read on to find out!
Heartstopper meets Buffy in this queer paranormal rom-com where a college sophomore must survive becoming a vampire—and the cute boy who discovers his secret.
It’s only natural nineteen-year-old Brennan’s life would be upended by something as ridiculous and unexpected as turning into a vampire. But if there’s one thing Brennan can do, it’s pretend everything’s fine when he’s close to losing his mind. Brennan is nineteen and just clawed his way back to Sturbridge University after recovering from a suicide attempt, and this is not the new life he was hoping for.
Brennan’s newly bloodthirsty existence gets way more complicated when Cole, the super cute librarian and everyone’s campus crush, stumbles on Brennan drinking from a stolen blood bag. Luckily, adorable Cole is happy to keep Brennan’s secret, and even seems to maybe like him? Navigating a new relationship is hard enough without the added struggles of vampire puberty, an eclectic clan of self-proclaimed “good” vampires, and growing feelings for the one person who makes Brennan feel normal. With swirling rumors of a missing student and a rise in strange “animal attacks” near campus, Brennan must uncover the secrets of the clan and figure out how to balance vampirism and humanity, or risk losing the first real friends he’s ever had.
Filled with humor and heart, The Good Vampire’s Guide to Blood & Boyfriends has a gentle bite.
***Thank you to Wednesday Books for providing an advanced copy of the book via NetGalley. My review contains my honest thoughts about my reading experience.***
I loved this book so much that I finished it in just two sittings. The Good Vampire’s Guide to Blood & Boyfriends struck a really great balance between humor and emotionally heavy content. This was a coming-of-age story at its heart about finding and understanding one’s identity and place in the world, as well as building a community of people who accept and love you for who you are. The writing was easy to read, and the pace of the story kept me eagerly engaged from start to finish.
First things first, I did really like the vampire content in The Good Vampire’s Guide to Blood & Boyfriends. Nothing about the story really screamed horrifying. Instead, it was mostly about vampires figuring out how to live in modern society, which was both interesting and amusing. The reader got to learn things alongside Brennan as he navigated the changes to his body, and it worked really well. The vampire clan was giving hilarious found family vibes, and I wish there’d been even more of an emphasis on clan business and the opportunity to meet other clan members. I was really satisfied with the world-building overall, though. It wasn’t too overwhelming, but there was enough detail to really sell it.
The mental health representation in The Good Vampire’s Guide to Blood & Boyfriends was also excellent. Brennan experienced anxiety and depression and had previously attempted suicide. He had such a fascinating and moving inner journey, which was by far the main focus of the novel. I liked how his vampirism forced him to confront his issues with hiding the ‘monstrous’ parts of himself from those he loves. He learned to lean on others to help him process his more difficult thoughts and emotions. Brennan also had a tendency to have a lot of existential crises. I was fascinated by his struggle with coming to accept immortality while also battling thoughts about the pointlessness of life.
Cole was a ray of sunshine, and I adored his relationship with Brennan in The Good Vampire’s Guide to Blood & Boyfriends. Cole was kind and wanted to help everyone he met. Unfortunately, it made him a bit of pushover in order to keep everyone happy. His relationship with Brennan helped him grow into someone that no longer allowed others to make his decisions for him. The two boys helped each other grow in such important ways, and I loved that about their relationship. Their friend group was entertaining as well and gave off great Scooby gang vibes, especially toward the end. So, the comps to both Buffy and Heartstopper were actually quite appropriate.
Overall, The Good Vampire’s Guide to Blood & Boyfriends was a heartwarming and fun story with plenty of emotion, great characters, and cool vampire moments. The adorable romance and inner mental health journey took center stage, with the plot sometimes feeling like it took too much of a backseat. It all really worked for me, though, and I’m so glad I decided to pick this book up. Therefore, I rate it 4.5 out of 5 stars.
There you have it! My thoughts on The Good Vampire’s Guide to Blood & Boyfriends by Jamie D’Amato. Does this book sound like something you would enjoy? Let me know down in the comments!