This is an anthology of short stories all about vampires. I really do like vampires and the different ways they can be portrayed, so this was a fun premise. I don’t always love short stories, but I actually really enjoyed most of these. Of course, I’d love more for some of these, but that’s just what happens. I think my favorite is First Kill by V.E. Schwab because it really used the idea of “first kill” in an interesting way, I think. It’s also a movie on Netflix now, I believe, which I need to still watch.

I love YA books and I love vampires so this was the perfect combination! I love a good collection of short stories as well. It gives such a pleasant variety.

"Vampire fans, sink your teeth into this satisfying collection." —Kirkus Reviews 5/5 stars for sure thanks for the arc

Vampires Never Get Old: Tales With Fresh Bite edited by Zoraida Cordova and Natalie C. Parker features different stories taking on pieces of mythology and lore that surround vampires. I thought this was a cool way to try out different authors who I haven’t really read before. Also, I loved that this book featured characters and authors with different marginalizations. This was a decent read at one short story per day and perfect for spooky season.

SEVEN NIGHTS FOR DYING BY TESSA GRATTON
The first story in Vampires Never Get Old is from Tessa Gratton — Seven Nights For Dying. This story is about a teenage girl who has seven nights to contemplate if she would like to be made into a vampire. Her mother has passed away when she was 17. It also is about the anger of teenage girls. Oh and there is a trans man in this story. It was an okay short story, but nothing really mind blowing or amazing. The pace was quick.

THE BOYS FROM BLOOD RIVER BY REBECCA ROANHORSE
The Boys From Blood River by Rebecca Roanhorse follows Lukas who is kind of a misfit. He is Gay and Native and living in a small Texas town. One day he happens to accidentally call up the Blood River Boys which are a mysterious group of vampires. He has the opportunity to join them but that would require a big sacrifice. This story was long — 30 pages — but wow. When we talk about short stories as a way to try different authors, this made me want to read more from Roanhorse. I really felt a sense of place and characters while reading this.

SENIOR YEAR SUCKS BY JULIE MURPHY
I will read ANYTHING Julie Murphy puts out. Senior Year Sucks proves this. It is a short story about a Fat girl who is a cheerleader, actually cheer captain. She’s also a slayer. On a ride home from a football game, there is an accident ahead with the spirit bus and well, it turns out there’s a passenger who is a vampire who is pretty attractive. This story was fun and well paced and had me wanting more.

THE BOY AND THE BELL BY HEIDI HEILIG
This story is set I think in the Victorian era. The Boy And The Bell by Heidi Heilig is about what happens when a boy is at a graveyard getting cadavers for medical school when he hears a bell ring, indicating someone has been buried alive. Turns out, that person is a wealthy man who might also be a vampire. This story was okay. Kind of slow and hard to get into.

A GUIDEBOOK FOR THE NEWLY SIRED DESI VAMPIRE BY SAMIRA AHMED
Samira Ahmed’s story in Vampires Never Die, A Guidebook For The Newly Sired Desi Vampire is fun, sort of. It is not really a story but absolutely written as a fictional guidebook with an app incorporated. It is humorous. I thought this was well paced and had such interesting concepts and commentary. It also takes on the theme of colonialism as well — an interesting twist on vampirism.

IN KIND BY KAYLA WHALEY
This story, In Kind, was brutal. I mean, good that it was. It is about a girl, Grace, who is “mercy” killed by her father due to her disabilities, but she is turned into a vampire and saved by Seanan, who is also a vampire. It’s a stark look at the value placed on the lives of disabled people and definitely left me a lot to chew on. Very thought provoking work.

VAMPIRES NEVER SAY DIE BY ZORAIDA CORDOVA AND NATALIE C. PARKER
Vampires Never Say Die co-written by Zoraida Cordova and Natalie C. Parker feature dual point of views. There is the point of view of Theolinda, a teenage girl throwing a party for her instagram friend. There is also the point of view of Brittany who is pretty much queen of the vampires in NYC and Theolinda’s internet friend. The story examines predator and prey — also image. It was an engaging read.

BESTIARY BY LAURA RUBY
Laura Ruby’s Bestiary is a futuristic story about a world in which water is so expensive to pay for. It is kind of dystopian. The story follows a girl who is a vampire and works at a zoo. She hangs out with the dangerous animals after hours. This story was creepy and interesting and had me wanting more.

MIRRORS, WINDOWS & SELFIES BY MARK OSHIRO
Mirrors, Windows & Selfies by Mark Oshiro is about a boy who is posting his story on a site like Tumblr. He is the child of vampires. He’s been told that he is the only one and would be in danger if anyone found out about his existence. The boy chafes against this. One day he learns he actually is not alone… and so must make a choice. Much better execution of the concept than Renesmee.

THE HOUSE OF BLACK SAPPHIRES BY DHONIELLE CLAYTON
I really think Dhonielle Clayton has such a gift with imagery. The House Of Black Sapphires features a family of Black Eternals relocating back to New Orleans for the first time in 400 years. They have an apothecary that they run in each place they live. The story features Bea who is looking for her great love. She may end up falling for her mortal enemy — when it comes to a kiss wagered over a game. This story was good and I wanted to keep reading more about Bea and her unique family. I hope Clayton returns to this concept/story someday for more.

FIRST KILL BY VE SCHWAB
I actually read this short story AFTER watching the show on Netflix. First Kill by VE Schwab is about a vampire, Juliette, and a slayer, Calliope. Both have yet to have their first… kill that is. Turns out, both are crushing on each other, but also prepared to make that First Kill. The story switches points of view. Having seen the show, it adds in a whole lot more. At this point, given the show was canceled, I hope Schwab expands this into a book, just because I want to finish the story and know what happens.

I was so excited for this anthology, especially after watching First Kill on Netflix, but unfortunately, I didn't really care about most of the stories... "A Guidebook for the newly sired Desi vampire" and "Mirrors, Windows & Selfies" were my favorites.

This anthology featuring vampires who lurk on social media just as much as they lurk in the night will hit the bookstore shelves on September 22, just in time to start prepping for Halloween. Edited by Zoriada Córdova and Natalie C. Parker, the collection features eleven new stories and a really fantastic author list, populated with a diverse group of authors from a ton of backgrounds and sexualities. The contributors include V. E. Schwab, known for her “Darker Shade of Magic” series; Nebula, Hugo, and Locus Award-winner, Rebecca Roanhorse; Internment author Samira Ahmed; Dhionelle Clayton, author of The Belles and Tiny Pretty Things; “The Blood Journals” author Tessa Gratton (who also contributed to the super spooky looking Edgar Allan Poe-inspired His Hideous Heart); Heidi Heilig, author of the “Shadow Players” trilogy; Julie Murphy, whose book Dumplin’ was adapted for the Netflix film of the same name; Lammy Award winner Mark Oshiro, whose forthcoming YA fantasy Each of Us a Desert will hit stands just before this anthology; Thirteen Doorways author Laura Ruby; and essayist and short story writer Kayla Whaley.

There are a lot of YA authors on this list, many of whom crossover to adult, so there’s a good chance readers will find some of their favorite kinds of angsty vampires on these pages, as well as body-conscious vampires, and vamps coming out as well as going out into the night, seeking for their perfect victim—or just looking for love.

– Alana Joli Abbott

I am always ready for a vampire story! For me vampires are my childhood so I am always excited to read a new interpretation of these creatures. I am a fan of many of these authors and highly recommend you take a chance on their vampire tales!

Vampires literally and in literature, rise and die every so often. I thought i was supremely burned out of the genre but I requested this be cause Zoraida was involved. The tone for this anthology is to pump some new life into the genre by aiming squarely for some of the most dated tropes in vampire lore. the stories range froom scary to sexy to humorous. the best thing this anthology did was remind me how good vampire stories can be with the right person at the help. A great line up of authors and an enjoyable read. PErfect fr summer time or travel reading.

I'm quite new to reading anthologies but I enjoyed reading Vampires Never Get Old. It was the perfect combination of reliving my teen years (with the pop culture craze of Twilight) with a modern day outlook. The stories were all really unique and entertaining and I think it's the perfect book to read during the fall and throughout "spooky season."

I definitely would be on the lookout for future anthologies by Zoraida Cordova and Natalie C Parker!

I wanted to like this more than I did. It's always very hit or miss with anthologies, though, right? Some you'll love and others not so much. For the most part, it was an enjoyable read. My complaint is that too many of the stories felt.. guillotined? Like they were meant to be larger stories but were hacked off at a point for word count purposes. Could that have just been me? Oh, absolutely. Short stories are not my specialty. Regardless, I think this collection is valuable for a great many reasons and wish more people would read it.

I like anthologies, because you can get several stories in one, but they're all nice and short. So if you're only in the mood to read a little bit, you can read one story and save the rest for later!

This anthology, as you can guess, is vampires focused and there are so many different takes on the vampire story! With any short story collection, there are going to be stories I like more than others, but for the most part, I liked all of them! I can only think of one that I didn't necessarily like, so one out of eleven is not bad. 

In between the short stories were little messages/prompts from the editors talking about what idea or question the story was answering. For example, one story focused on the vampire origin, another focused on their transformation, what they can eat, and who's the real villain in the story. While some of the explanations were a bit cheesy, I appreciated the background and thought that went into each one of them. It helped me appreciate each story more.

Another thing I really liked was the variety of formatting. One story was set up in a blog format, where there were blog post entries instead of sections. And included in each blog post entry were any comments and the amount of views. Another story had newspaper article clippings included. One was a pamphlet for newly turned vampires. And another story had two POVs each split into three equal sections. I can appreciate including variations of formatting and style; it helps breaks up the monotony of the same long story. 

And, with different formatting, were different kinds of vampires. Some that could walk in the sun and others that couldn't. Some that had to be called and others that preyed upon people in the shadows. Some required the sharing of blood while others just needed one bite to sire a new vampire. I loved seeing all the variations in each story and thinking about how we have all of these different vampires myths and lore. 

Overall, if you like vampire stories (like I do) I would definitely check out this anthology! There are eleven diverse stories so there's a vampire tale for every interest and person! Although, there are some stories in here that I really, really want to be extended and have a longer story or a full book about! They were just too good to end on a cliff hanger and I need more! To satiate my desire for more, I would love to have another vampire anthology; so if they were thinking of writing a sequel, I would definitely love to read one! Or even participate in one, if I had the chance. Hint, hint. Wink, wink!

This is a fun collection of vampire stories by a number of amazing YA authors. There are stories that will appeal to various interests, incorporating diverse characters and situations.

Vampires Never Get Old is full of fun, thrilling, bite-worthy stories about vampires! The authors who contributed to the anthology are exceptional!

The introduction points out that vampires are almost always white guys. They're never disabled (the bad guys might be disfigured in some way), and they're almost always beautiful, make or female. These vampires....aren't. In one way or another, they're different. And so is the book. Some of the stories are weaker than the others, and the "discussion questions" after each story are downright tortured, but on he whole, a great collection of different vampire stories.

As with any collection of short stories, there were some that I enjoyed more than others, but there was plenty of variety available so different stories would be appreciated by different readers.

I listened to a panel where the authors were discussing where the idea for this book came from. Who isn't obsessed or intrigued by vampires and the idea of immortality? But its mostly white cisgender representation. So this book is each author's take on the story they want to hear about LGBTQ, own voices, disability and the stories that haven't been told. There should be diversity in mythology. Vampirism is a sexualized practice in essence and not just only for only race and sexuality.

Each story was unique and was done by authors I admire and love. See below for the contents. I totally recommend as each has their own voice and unique writing style, it's hard to capture them all in a post but I definitely thought each had a different take on the genre and if this was a start to an idea for a possible book for each author I would say go for it! 

Contents:

🦇Seven Nights for Dying by Tessa Gratton

🦇Mirrors, Windows & Selfies by Mark Oshiro

🦇The House of Black Sapphires by Dhonielle Clayton

🦇The Boys from Blood River by Rebecca Roanhorse

🦇Senior Year Sucks by Julie Murphy

🦇The Boy and the Bell by Heidi Heilig

🦇In Kind by Kayla Whaley

🦇A Guidebook for the Newly Sired Desi Vampire by Samira Ahmed

🦇Bestiary by Laura Ruby

🦇Vampires Never Say Die by Zoraida Córdova and Natalie C. Parker 

🦇First Kill by Victoria "V.E." Schwab

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Thank you fiercereads for my gifted copy from a giveaway through netgalley.

Vampires! But make them relevant to the teens of today and not the tropes of yesteryear.

A collection of eleven Vampire stories each focusing on a trope in a new light with a fresh perspective. After each story, Zoraida and Natalie break down the historical significance of the trope in past Vampire narratives and how each author's new twist improves the trope for the better! With a dash of humor and wit, readers get a great variety of characters, cultures, and vampires that will leave them wanting more!

Of the eleven stories, I felt nine were great and two were okay. The lengths vary with the story getting longer the further in the book. With many of the characters being teenage American minorities, there are a few that draw from cultures outside of the U.S. There is also a variety of religions and romantic relationships represented. Additionally, queer characters were prominent in many of the stories, as well as, differently-abled characters and body positivity. What readers will enjoy most about each of these short stories are that the topics are addressed organically without feeling preachy or heavy-handed. The characters are who they are and face decisions that are impacted by their identity. My favorite stories included Seven Nights for Dying about a girl who has to decide if she wants to turn despite knowing she can't change her best friend. The Boys from Blood River featuring a creepy song and a small-town murder. Senior Year Sucks because of the Buffy vibes but more badass. The House of Black Sapphires because there are many paranormal creatures and it takes place in nineteenth-century New Orleans. Lastly, First Kill because again Buffy but with a queer black slayer and vampire readers will root for!

So many good stories with something for all readers!

I really liked the diverse voices within this short story collection. I wish that the stories had been a little more "vampire-y" as in a classic vampire tale. I enjoyed that each author took their own spin on the vampire lore and made it their own but sometimes it felt too different. I also was not a huge fan of most of the stories because they were quite slow especially for a short story collection. I would be interested in picking up the works of each individual author and give their longer stories a go. It was a pretty quick read although it felt like at times the book was lagging and a very good read for October/Fall.

I loved the representation given within these stories. It was so refreshing to see the typical cis male vampire story flipped on its head for a change! Thank you so much to all the writers for making different groups feel seen.

Not what I was expecting. I lost interest very early on but made several attempts to continue thinking that maybe I was not in the right frame of mind at the time to read this book. I simply could not generate interest so I did not finish this title. This is not really a review. I simply could not think of anything positive to say but felt I needed to write something.