It wasn't a surprising book to me, since I've seen all (I think) of the Carmilla Web Series (and seen the movie too).

It's the story of Laura and Carmilla. Laura is a frosh at Silas University whose roommate goes missing, and she starts an investigation on what happened to her. She gets a new roommate, Carmilla, and from there, both their lives go even crazier than before.

It wasn't a perfect adaptation, since not only is Carmilla a super, super visual web series, but, there are most definitely things in the series that didn't translate to the page. And, I will say that the ending of the web series really, really didn't translate onto the page.

I received this book via Netgalley thanks to Kids Can Press.

Book (which was first published in 1872 and is said to have influenced Bram Stoker’s treatment of Dracula) to web series to book, Carmilla seems to be destined to keep reappearing in different forms through eternity, just like the character in the story. This version is based on the madly popular web series which had everyone shipping Hollstein.

Laura Hollis enters Silas University to study journalism. Her roommate is a highly strung party animal, Betty, who soon goes missing. Laura sets out on a mission to find Betty. Her new roommate, the brooding, enigmatic Carmilla is a slob who completely disses Laura and her Betty-search mission. Then there are secondary characters including a genderqueer person.

This book is captures the breathless lunacy of the web series and the premise. It is fast paced and treats the crazy with an ironic seriousness. The only real problem is the repeated incorrect pronoun usage for the genderqueer LaFontaine.

This is a quick, fun read for fans of the series and for fans of nonsensical absurd.

I received this book from the publisher as an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This faithful adaptation had the potential to grow on its source material and open up a world that could give [book:Welcome to Night Vale|23129410] a run for its money. But unfortunately, I can't see this book is loved by anyone other than dedicated fans.
I'll preface this with the fact I am one of those original fans and I watched the web series when it first came out way back in 2014. As a queer girl, I wanted queer representation in the shows I watched and the books I read. And I still do. But looking back on the show and now this adaptation I can say that the f/f representation isn't enough to make up for the amateurish style of this book.
The LGBT representation in the book was somewhat problematic. The genderqueer character LaFontaine is frequently misgendered by both characters and the writer. I received a proof copy so I hope that these errors are corrected in the print version. The chemistry between Laura and her love interests is severely lacking in comparison to how it was in the series. Laura is frequently out of character, she is supposed to be loveable, dorky and smart but comes across as jealous, dumb and one dimensional. Carmilla is one dimensional, Perry is one dimensional, Danny is one dimensional...
That is my biggest gripe with this book, it had the chance to explore parts of the world that couldn't have been done in the web series due to budget and time constraints. The source material should have been a template for a good supernatural lesbian romance mystery book. In rare occasions, the book did venture out to places other than Laura's dorm room it felt like the writer didn't know what to do with the characters.
The ending felt rushed, the climax happened on all of 3 pages and it sets itself up for a sequel that I doubt I will read.
Overall, watch the show creampuffs.

Rating: 3/5
Queer: YES
ARC: I received an ARC for this book in exchange for an honest review.

Review:
I tried to get into this book, as I was a huge fan of the webseries. But the truth is, I couldn't. It didn't ring true for me, and felt like there weren't enough behind-the-scenes type things to make it even better than the webseries.

This was a miss for me. I don't know if you read this before the webseries if that makes any difference or not, but this didn't suck me in the same way The Secret Diary of the Lizzie Bennet Diaries sucked me in after the Lizzie Bennet Diaries webseries was over.

So, how did I read this? Well, I started with just reading the book and I found it a little hard to get to grips with the tone, I hadn't initially realised how silly this book is and it took me a moment to really lean into that. So that's my first tip - lean in.

I also ended up reading this book in tandem with watching the web series, which, in my opinion, was the best thing I could have done. The two compliment each other, each one lending that little bit of extra context to the other. Unlike other adaptations I don't think this book can exist in a vacuum, it needs to be tied to the series or else it doesn't make a huge amount of sense. The tone is so weird, the characters so funny and not what one might expect, the dialogue is the same somewhat stilted lilt of the series. They work so well together I see no reason to take them apart. Perhaps that would be different if you've already seen the series? If you have, read the book separately and then let me know what you think?

Worth noting, there is one instance of a non-binary character being consistently wrong-named and misgendered by another character in a moment of tension. In the series, this didn't feel like it had the weight that it does in the book, another instance of one adding to the other. I have seen other reviewers react poorly to this, and I can understand why, but I thought that the representation of an old friend having difficulty adjusting to someone transitioning was a very real thing. I also thought that the way this was handled by the other characters, who supported LaFontaine and corrected the friend (whose name slips my mind while writing this review please don't judge me).

I think it's telling to read the reviews which are pretty much split (with a few exceptions) between people reading this with knowledge about the series and those reading it alone. As a book on its own, I agree...this wouldn't be that great. But as a largely accurate novelisation of a series, I'd say this hits the mark. It captures the tone of the series perfectly and will appease anyone who loves their vampires silly and also gay.

My rating: 4/5 stars

I received a free digital advanced review copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Carmilla is available now!

It's been awhile since I watched the webseries, so I figured that I would give this book a go. I would have like to see a lot more showing of what was going on instead of being told what was happening. It would have been interesting to experience the events myself instead of having the characters explain it. Overall it was an enjoyable read.

In my mind book adaptations of TV shows or movies are meant to, among other things, fill in the spaces between the scenes we got to see. Take the insinuation out of it and shows us more of what happened.
Carmilla does do that, but on the rarest of occasions. And that's one of the reasons why it didn't work for me.
I think the writing feels a bit under cooked. It's all from Laura's POV, it's all focused on the dorm room, much like the series and I don't get the point of it. While there's a bit of charm to it, at times it feels repetitive as things get explained more than once.
I don't know if this book was meant for fans of the show, or if it was meant for people who haven't heard of it.
I'm sad to say that I'm not sure it's suitable for either.

In the time it took Netgalley to approve my ARC request, I'd already burned through all the episodes of the Carmilla web series and also watched the movie. And I'd also fallen in love with them. (And also maybe developed a tiny-HUGE crush on Natasha Negovanlis a.k.a. Carmilla.)


So by the time I got to the book, I already knew the story and the perfect cast. And I guess this was one of those instances where the movie (in this case: web series) was better than the book.


The reasons for that are:


♡ The book was based on the web series, not the other way around.
♡ The web series is shot in the same place all throughout the season (it's supposed to be the protagonist's (Laura's) Journalism project and is therefore supposedly shot through her web cam.) So, it was easier to describe some things without showing them on camera. But it's impossible to do that in books, since descriptions are the essence of books, and the descriptions that were written seemed kinda lacking.


So even though it told exactly the same story as the web series, the book did not contain the same magic. I'd definitely recommend you to check out the web series (IT'S ON YOUTUBE!) but I'm not sure if I'll do the same for the book.

This read like fanfic to me, and not in a good way. The writing style came off really juvenile, the characters weren't well developed and came across as shallow and trope-y (and in some cases really dumb), and the relationships between the characters that are supposed to drive the story also were way underdeveloped.

Kim Turrisi has captured the story and Laura’s voice perfectly, her geekiness and nerdy references are perfectly appropriate and flow throughout the first person perspective. The characters from the series are written perfectly in character and pay true homage to the original actors’ performances. This would be perfect for fans of the Carmilla web series and film, but it is also a nice read for fans of vampire stories and has great LGBTQ representation with diverse characters.

This was a solid adaptation of the web series, which I love. I really enjoyed the way Laura's voice was captured in the first person POV.

I was uncomfortable with the repeated use of the phrase "and the girls," which seemed to encompass LaFontaine, but on the whole it wasn't an issue aside from Perry working through accepting their gender identity the same way she did in the show.

All in all, I just really enjoyed visiting Silas University and these characters again. There are so, so many tropes in this franchise that I adore, and all of the characters elements I loved in the show were well represented in the book.

I'd recommend for fans of the series, obviously, fans of urban fantasy, weird college campus stories, preternatural library stories, and f/f romances.

Kim Turrisi’s Carmilla is a book I read recently that was based on a web series. I enjoyed it and think that whether you’re a fan of the series or not, it is a good way to get acquainted or reacquainted with the story and characters.

The Queer Rep
This book and the series have been praised for the representation of members of the LGBT+ community. The series stars two girls who end up in a relationship with each other (and a freakin cute one at that) and even has a genderqueer character who uses They/Them pronouns. I really do think the praise that this book has been given in terms of representation is deserving. While I had a few issues with the rep regarding the fact that They/Them pronouns were not used for Lafountaine at the beginning of the book, that could just be a error with the ARC or something regarding the fact that the narrator does not know this ahead of time and once she does she uses they/them pronouns when talking about LaFountaine. I can’t tell you what to think about that or if it should make you more invested in the book or not. I can say though that the relationships in this book were very genuine and I believe if you’re looking for positive queer representation in a book in series, Carmilla is a good place to look.

2. The Story

A story is important to any form of media whether it be a movie, book, show, etc. And this book does have a great story. I really loved the mystery of the school and vampires. I am not usually a big fan of vampire stories (thanks Twilight), but I have to say this one is pretty interesting and amazing. If you’re a fan of mysteries, supernatural, or anything like that then I think this story could be the one for you.

3. More Than The Series

Something I really appreciated about this book is that though it only covers the first season, the story does go into more details than what the web series could. Many moments in the web series or at least the first season take place in one room (Carmilla and Laura’s dorm room) and while it is understandable for a web show to have those constraints, a book is different. With a book you can expand on the universe and give more details for scenes or characterization or background with the characters. It doesn’t have to be so neutralized. Without giving too much away, there is a big battle in the book that I was so happy got the exposure and details it deserved. In the series they show the aftermath of what happened and tell the viewers the details, but in the book you are able to read and “see” that battle for yourself and it’s amazing. I was a little nervous about reading a book that I already knew the story too. However, if you think of it similar to a movie novelization with more details and possible extra scenes then it works out pretty well.

4. Introduction to Web Show or Continuation

Something great about this book is it can be fun and enjoyable whether you’re a fan of the series or not. If you’re looking for a way to be introduced to the show this book isn’t a bad way to do it. If you’re a fan of the show who just wants more content then this is great for you too. What I love about this book is how anyone can read it and get something new out of it. So if you are not sure about reading this book because you have already seen the show or if you have never even heard of it, I am happy to say that you will not be disappointed if you pick up this book.

I have not seen the web series but I really liked this novelisation. The characters were all fun and Turrisi showed some great rep. The "romance" element was done well and I saw how the original Carmilla story was adapted into this one. This is definitely a series that I would like to continue with as I really liked the relationships and the drama in the novel.

I am so bummed about this.
I started watching the series when the second season was just over and I loved every second of it. The way the story is told, the plot, the lesbians, I was hooked. So I was super happy when I saw that they had a book coming out. But sadly I was disappointed.
The book is simply retelling the story of the web series in book format.

So, the plot of the story is great. It's quirky and weird while embracing the more modern setting. Laura is a funny character to follow, Carmilla is my favourite broody vampire and the background characters are just as well-rounded.
It doesn't take itself to seriously which helps to simply be immersed in this wacky university and go along their adventure.

But the writing ruins most of it. It's superficial and simple, adding nothing to the story. We don't get a deeper insight into Laura or Carmilla, there is no emotional development or any attachment the reader could create. The book is filled with statements but nothing to back them up. It only tells us the most important part without going any further. It was so frustrating for the writing to be so shallow when character offer so much more. It doesn't help that the descriptions are very repetitive since most of the story plays out in Laura's dorm room. They easily could have fixed that.

I think they could have done so much differently, especially when it comes to the writing and formatting.

DNF'd

I was very excited about this book. Lesbian Vampire Mystery! However, I couldn't get into it at all. The writing style did not work for me, and it came across as an adult woman trying to Be Young and Hip while actually being way off-base.

Thank you to the publisher for providing a copy for review. I'm sorry I wasn't the right reader in the end. :(

An modernised, college-set revamp of Le Fanu’s Carmilla? I was intrigued from the get-go, and was not disappointed!

A quick disclaimer to start with: I haven’t seen the web series this is based on, so I can’t judge how accurate a novelisation it is, or if it brings anything new to the table. This review will purely be on the book’s own merit (though I would now like to watch the series!).

Okay, with that out of the way, I can shout about how much fun this book is! Sure, it’s not going to win any awards for having super deep things to say about the world, but it’s joyously silly and just a pleasure to read! I ate it up in one sitting. Essentially, the plot is that Laura and Carmilla (from Sheridan Le Fanu’s classic vampire novel), instead of meeting in a Gothic castle, are actually college roommates. It doesn’t follow the plot of the original Carmilla particularly closely from there, but I very much enjoyed all the nods! Bonus points for making it clearly and obviously F/F, too – the original book really started the idea of lesbian vampires, so it’s cool to see it updated where that can actually be played out in a modern relationship!

Other reviews have pointed out the issues around the misgendering of a genderqueer character by their so-called ‘best friend’, and Perry learning to accept LeFontaine is a fairly major subplot, which may be uncomfortable to read for some. I thought it was interesting to show that tension on the page, but I understand the criticisms about its inclusion, and would urge you to read ownvoices reviews to get a more rounded picture on that subject.

The college atmosphere and fun adventure elements actually really remind me of a tabletop RPG I’ve played with some friends, called East Texas University, where college kids have to solve various supernatural mysteries – and it would be silly not to compare it to an episode of Buffy! I think this is where the lack of depth criticisms that I’ve seen in other reviews come in – despite the college setting, it’s way more Season One Buffy than Season Four. Just a light, fun adventure, which was everything I wanted from this!

Essentially, if you’re looking for a nuanced and detailed vampire novel, this isn’t for you. If you’re looking for a quick burst of entertainment that rollicks through a bunch of vampire and college tropes, then this is going to be just right! It’s fun, it’s silly, and it made me want to watch the webseries!

Four out of five stars!

I loved the webseries but the book isn't doing anything for me. Barely adds new information and the writing isn't great either. I think it would attract more people who haven't seen the show than those who did

An adaptation of Shaftesbury's web series Carmilla. This book didn’t work for me, I liked the idea and it was entertaining, but the flow of the story was broken. I also think that there were places that it needed detail. It fits the YA category with no sex but there are a few places that make you wonder well did something more happen or are they in a relationship. I have absolutely no problem with the no sex (it’s actually refreshing) but if you’re going to hint at it then hint so that it is understood one way or the other. You don’t have to be blunt or descriptive about it. Questions bother me when they not answered, and this story left me when a lot of questions. I can see how others would enjoy the story, it’s just the writing let’s me down so give it a try if you think that you might like it. I voluntarily read an advance copy of this book for an honest review.

This was amazingly fun. I'm a big fan of the Web series so experiencing it again in novel form was great.
This was a very direct adaptation, to the point it was basically a transcript of the episodes. It didn't really add anything to the original. Most of the book took place in Laura's dorm room, and while this was a part of the "found footage" style of the Web series I'm a bit disappointed they didn't take the opportunity to flesh out the world and characters more since a novel doesn't have any of the limitations of the original.
I really enjoyed this book but I would recommend the Web series over this, I feel some of the life and atmosphere is lost during the adaptation.

When I heard there'd be a novelization of the Carmilla webseries, I was beyond excited. I've seen the show several times, even stayed up until 3 in the morning for a liveshow of the film that wraps it up. I preordered this book two months ago and was super pumped about it.

Boy am I disappointed. It is quite rare for me to give only one star to a book but this is really not good.

I think it's partially my fault since I had neglected that it would be a novelization and not a novel. It shows. This book, when read on its own with no prior knowledge of the webseries, is mediocre at best, problematic at worst. The characters are over the top. Laura is annoying, Carmilla is very unpleasant, don't even get me started on Kirsh (a clumsy but well meaning frat dude reduced to a dumb misogynistic stereotype). The main problem with that is that the love triangle Laura-Carmilla-Danny just doesn't work. Danny is okay but the attraction between Laura and Carmilla is all tell and no show, which is terrible since it's the main point of the story.

Now I'm not gonna say the show is perfect and realistic, but a lot of things that work in the show thanks to the humour and/or the actors falls flat in the book, like Laura putting on a puppet show of Carmilla's life, and Laura not figuring out Carmilla is a vampire when she literally drinks blood just makes her look stupid. It lacks introspection, depth, chemistry. "Laura said that. Then they did that. Carmilla said this. Laura answered this. Laura did this". That's it, that's most of the book. It's basically a dry transcription of the episodes, with little to no new content, a description of what happens, and the show's dialogue. I was just left wondering "why did I read this instead of watching the first season again? I would have gotten the exact same content, except with visuals, and I would have enjoyed it more".

About LaFontaine, the genderqueer character. I'm not gonna talk about how Perry, their best friend, treats them because it's also an issue from the show (keep in mind she's incredibly obtuse about it, even though she eventually accepts it and corrects her behaviour), but the narrator misgenders LaFontaine at least five times in the book. FIVE, and from another review I've read, I've missed at least one. BUT the narrator gets it right most of the time, so I think it's an editing problem. A big one, but a genuine mistake that should be corrected before publication. Speaking about editing, I also found "an evil frown spreads accross his chiseled jaw" and unless it's an expression I'm not familiar with, I think the author meant "smirk".


So nope. I'm sorry, no one wanted to love this more than I did, but I was just bored. It could have fixed a few plot holes and provided a more layered story but it feels shallow, clunky and rushed. I think I'm gonna cancel my preorder.

Thanks to NetGalley and Kids Can Press for sending me a free copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.