With fall colors on the tips of leaves, I was in the mood for some stories with spooky and autumn vibes. This collection is a pretty standard short story collection in terms of offerings - some stories landed with me a bit more than others. I thought VE Schwab's First Kill was particularly fantastic, and I liked that the collection overall diverse with BIPOC and LGBTQ characters in almost every single story. I'm not usually a vampire person, but this should be added to collections where short stories or these authors are popular.

Vampires Never Get Old does a good job at offering new takes on a genre that has been done to death,with excellent variations on the theme. The stories are ninety-nine percent engaging which is a very solid ratio for a short story collection and several of the stories, particularly those of Julie Murphy, Dhonielle Clayton, Victoria Schwab beg to be expanded on. Samira Ahmred's story also stands out as a a refreshing and charming take on vampire lore.

There were many stories in this, so it's hard to judge them individually, but the theme carried through many of them so well and maybe one or two didn't work as well for me as the rest but I ended up thoroughly enjoying the anthology and the short stories as well as the added information

Modern vampires? Young adults? Favorite authors? What more could a teacher wanting to liven up her sci-fi unit want? Honestly, a bit more. I found many of the stories to be too drawn out without real sustenance. I wanted to live inside a world where vampires were real, and many of these stories just included vampires without the suspense or romance you feel through full length novels.

Vampires Never Get Old is an outstanding YA anthology collection where all the stories are vampire stories. Did you love Twilight or True Blood? This is for you. But also if you didn't like either of those pop culture phenomenons, there is still something for you if you like stories involving vampires. There are eleven stories by a diverse group of best-selling YA authors including Dhonielle Clayton, V.E. Schwab, Julie Murphy, Natalie C. Parker, Laura Ruby, Mark Osheiro, and more! This is sure to be a hit YA anthology. Be sure to check out Vampires Never Get Old just in time for Halloween!

Review posted on GoodReads (September 8, 2020)
Review Linked.

4/5 stars!

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for sending me an E-ARC of this book for an honest review!

I have never really been a fan of anthologies because I like reading longer stories and I always get upset when I like a story and it ends sooner than I want it to (🙈), so I didn't really know what to expect going into this book. I did know, however, that this book is full of amazing authors that I adore and some authors I’ve been interested in reading, so I really wanted to pick up this book.

I really liked this book. The stories have a lot of diversity and representation and had such rich, beautiful, funny, and dark stories. I love how this book was so well put together, and I felt that each story was really well crafted. There were two stories that I didn't end up loving, but a majority of them turned out to be really entertaining. A lot of the stories that I read have stayed in my mind after reading them, and I keep finding myself wanting to go back and reread them.

If you love vampires and paranormal romance, then I really recommend picking up this fun anthology!

Thanks for reading!
Caden

Thank you to Macmiillan Children's Publishing Group and Netgalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I have heard many good things about a lot of the authors in this anthology. Most, if not all, of these authors are new to me. Unfortunately, this wasn't the anthology for me. While the writing was fine I just couldn't get into the stories. While I would read all these authors again I most likely will not touch another vampire story.. at all... ever...

It's no secret that I adore my vampire stories, and this one was a great collection to add to my obsession! With good representation and stories of all kinds, I admired the authors' willingness to do something beyond the "1000 year old vampire falls for 17 year old girl". While some of the stories felt a bit stunted (no spoilers, I do think one should read the whole collection), others were ones I wish went on longer, or better yet, were a 400 page novel. Overall though, it was definitely a fun read and its one I'm going to keep recommending to people who cannot resist a good bite.

I tried really hard to like this anthology. I really did. It had all of the heart and dedication to be a great anthology. It just... fell short. A lot of these stories were fantastic, then they ended. They felt like unfinished chapters or proposals rather than full stories. Others of these stories just didn’t work for me. Some of the stories were trying so hard to be great that they came off as cheesy and contrived. Some of them were trying to appeal to teens so much that they were using so much crass language that I skipped whole sections of it. I appreciated the different formats to some of the stories, like blog posting and such. I did appreciate the representation for different cultures that this anthology provided. I LOVE LOVE LOVE that Own Voice stories are becoming more and more popular and the line up of authors for this book really made that shine. There are a lot of positives to this anthology: sex positive stories, varied and non-shaming of many gender identities, vary open and accepting to differences. So many things that people are judged for or held in contempt with in current society is taken and accepted in some form in this anthology.

I had such high hopes for this anthology, based on how fantastic the authors and editors are and how “in style” vampire stories are right now, but for me, it just fell a bit flat.

Thank you so much, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, for the chance to read and review this book!

Vampires never get old is a wonderful collection of short stories and I really loved reading how each author talked about lore and traditions surrounding vampires, from how they are turned, how they feed, how they are born, romance, influence, attraction and so on. It was really empowering reading such diverse characters and vampires and the rep is absolutely fantastic. We have Latinx, Native, Black, fat, queer, disabled vampires with their stories and strength, families, love, pain, in a intense mix of stories and unforgettable characters.


Seven nights for dying by Tessa Gratton

In the first story the author tackles the issue of how a vampire is born, because there are many stories and rules and they change from story to story, from lore to lore. Being bitten, drinking vampire blood, but there's alway a transformation from living to undead. In Seven nights for dying our heroine is given a choice and she has seven nights to ponder what to do and what to choose. It's a very interesting story, with a bi or pan representation, tackling issues like grief, loss and moving on. Amazing the introduction of Henry, a trans boy character, a very young vampire.


Mirrors, windows and selfies by Mark Oshiro

TW: blood, death, murder

This may be one of my favourite story. Cisco is a peculiar vampire, because he's the son of two vampires and he shouldn't exist. Confined at home, forced to follow rules and rules, his only escape is a blog where he writes about his situation and loneliness. I found really heartbreaking and, weirdly I had to say, relatable, his loneliness and his need to discover more about himself and even about how he looks, since he never saw himself. Mirrors, windows and selfies is about loneliness, finding the strenght to be free and be indipendent, to look for answers and discover oneself. Interesting reading about the traditions surrounding the mirrors and how they are surrounded by superstition and lore.


The house of black sapphire by Dhonielle Clayton

TW: slavery mentioned

In this story the MC Bea is a vampire forced to move from her home, when people start whispering about her and her family being vampires. Moving in a new place, full of mysteries she's eager to discover and truths to uncover, to find love and her own home, The house of black sapphire introduces interesting and captivating characters, like the Shadow Barons and the Eternal women. I really liked reading about these fierce and powerful Black women and their interesting story. Captivating and curious the issues of the house, how the author reimagined the coffin as an house bonded to vampires and how it burns and regenerates in a different place to protect them. Bea is a strong character, eager to see the world and be indipendent.


The boys from Blood River by Rebecca Roanhorse

TW: bullism, death, murder, loss

This story is another of my favourite in this collection and it's deliciously creepy and atmospheric, set in a small town known after a massacre. Lukas, the MC, is a young teenager, dealing with his mother's sickness, bullies and his need to get out, to be in another place, to be free and not the loser of the city. Fascinating is the legend of the song and the boys from Blood river. This story is so captivating, chilling and I loved everything about it.


Senior Year sucks by Julie Murphy

I absolutely loved reading this story. It's so rare to read a story or a book where a character is fat- positive and so sure of him/her/theirselves. It was really empowering reading about the MC character, Jolene, with her strenght, confidence and power. It was very inspiring.
Jolene is the captain of the cheerleader squad and she's a vampire slayer. She not the canonically vampire slayer. Usually they are white, muscled and able bodied, but Jolene is another kind of vampire slayer, more relatable and realistic. It was really empowering reading about her, her strength and determination. Her meeting Alma was both funny and intense and I liked reading their interaction and the tension between them. This story left me wanting more about them.


The boy and the bell by Heidi Heiling

TW: misgendering

I loved this short story so much. It's creepy and chilling and it's set in a cemetery. Will is a young man, a body snatcher and he aims to be a doctor, to study. He's interested in saving lives, in learning anatomy, but the body he founds it's not exactly dead. It was so interesting reading about a transgendered MC and his passion and curiosity about medicine, anatomy, how bodies work and how to save lives. Captivating the observations about the superstitions about how to ensure someone didn't become a vampire in the grave, like burying someone facedown or decapitating the body or, in the Victorian age, with a bell and a breating tube so if the person was buried alive he/she/they could ask for help.


In kind by Kayla Whaley

TW: caregiver abuse, attempted murder, ableism


In this story Grace, who has a degenerative neuromuscolar disease is almost killed by her own father and saved by Seanan, who turns her into a vampire. This story is very interesting and peculiar, mixed with newspapers' articles about her “death”. The reader saw Grace's anger towards his father, who was convinced that killing her would have been a merciful thing, without considering what life meant to Grace. Interesting is the fact that, even turned, her vampirism didn't cure her disease, considering how disabilities and chronic illnessess are part of people's identities. So, even though she's stronger and her senses are better, her body is still her body. She didn't lose herself. I really loved the way she remains in her wheelchair, herself, in her body, even though she's a vampire. She didn't want to be fixed, her life meant something for her and it's so important that she still was true to herself even as undead, showing the mercy others didn't show to her.


A guidebook for the newly sired desi vampire by Samira Ahmed

TW: MC forcibly turned, colonialism, racism

This short story is one of the most funny and important of the collection. It's a guidebook for vampires, imagining a system in place in India for people turned into vampires and this one is for someone who was turned against their will by a British tourist. It's full of unapologetic jokes and puns, teaching the new vampire all about being an undead, what to eat, what will change, slowly easing her/him/their into this new reality. Impressive and strong is the attack against colonialism, against tourists making fun of their foods and words and taking advantage of people. I loved reading this unapologetic attack against colonizers and how they feel entitled to do certain things. This guidebook is funny, supportive, full of references to the Indian culture and it was really interesting reading it.


Bestiary by Laura Ruby

TW: abusive parents, MC changed against her will, murder (mentioned)

I liked reading this story and the observation about animals and vampires, how in the lore vampires are able to transform themselves in bats, or dogs, wolves, fog and so on. The main character, Jude, was turned against her will and now, even though she feels lonely, angry and isolated, she found her place with the animals in the zoo she is now able to understand and care for. Interesting the way she, as vampire, is connected to the animals and she wants to protect them, while navigating the world.


Vampires Never Say Die by Zoraida Córdova & Natalie C. Parker


I really liked reading this story. Brittany is a vampire who, one day, decided to join Instagram to reconnect with things she lost, a place where she can be whomever and whatever she wants to, not a vampire premier in New York with the rules and laws. There she meets and befriends the young Theo. I loved their friendship and connection, how they became closer. In this story I loved the way Brittany chooses to turn women like her, women who were told they were weak and unworthy, women hungry for the world and how she battles against people, men, who feel entitled to do harm. Interesting is the observation about the vampire's power of influence people and how in this story Theo and Brittany think about the kind of influence they have on both human and vampire world.


First kill by Victoria “V.E.” Schwab

I absolutely loved this short story! Juliette is a vampire and she was born this way, she wasn't turned by anyone and she has this cute crush for Calliope, the new girl at her high school. As Juliette, Calliope has secrets, too, because she and her family are hunters. In a game of prey and hunter, First kill is a wonderful story with LGBTQIA+ rep, with two intense characters pining for one other and at the same time in very complex situation of duty, family and first kill. First kills for both of them.

My favorite stories:
Mirrors, Windows and Selfies: Mark Oshiro
First Kill: Victoria “V.E.” Schwab
In Kind: Kayla Whaley
This was a fun collection of stories that diversify the idea of vampires. I like the queer themes and romances and the inclusion of diverse body types. Most of the stories left me wanting to read more. I think most of the authors agreed to leave the stories with an open ending letting the readers to interpret the end, which was fine, but sometimes I wanted a definite end. This anthology let me discover new authors that I’ll hopefully read in the future.

This was great fun. I didn't love all of the stories (I thought Victoria Schwab's final story was the weakest link, though still fun), but I loved most of them--probably more than in any anthology I've read in a long time. And with a roster of authors like this has, it's little wonder. The stories vary wildly in terms of what 'vampire' even means in each of their worlds, but many deal with deep questions about belonging, trauma, sexuality, and consent (and/or the lack thereof in a traditional vamping scenario). None are heavy-handed or didactic, and most were, as I've said, a delight. I didn't love the interstitial editorial comments and reader-questions after each story, but they were so brief (and clearly not aimed at me, as an older-adult reader). Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC, but I'm going to have to go buy a copy now, I enjoyed it that much.

I loved these stories. I very much enjoyed the twists of the typical Gothic written elements that came through in each story. I felt all of the stories were in some were easy to relate too, and even though I would not adopt this into my curriculum, I would recommend this to any student to read on their own time

I loved this as a concept and tore through it in one weekend. I liked how short the chapters were, but it also left me wanting more. These felt less like short stories and more like thought starters for larger books. I loved the range of locations and types of Vampires and can't wait to see if some of these get turned into full length books!

A super queer, very bloody short story collection about vampires? Hi, yes, the perfect read once you've finished Midnight Sun and feel a new emptiness in your soul. 

Short story collections are really hit or miss for me, and I hadn't read a good portion of these authors before, but I found this fun, kind of sexy, pretty bloody selection enjoyable! It's got humor, heart, angst, desire, blood sucking, parental hangovers, and more. 

I won't go into every single story in Vampires Never Get Old, but there's stories about vampire queens in New Orleans falling for dangerous men, cheerleading slayers and one minute in heaven (or hell), a blog run by a vampire teen who thinks he's all alone in the world, lots of romance, lots of queerness, some threats of violence, a bite or two or a dozen, and unique takes that explore vampires beyond the usual whiteness of Edward Cullen. 

I'm not going to pretend that any of these stories are going to stick with me forever, or that I found a new favorite author from this collection, but I had an enjoyable time reading this, laughed a few times, and I didn't hate myself when I finished reading it. And that's good enough for me, honestly! 

This would be a great addition to anyone's shelves who loves vampire books or fantasy in general, and while this is a YA collection, and a lot of it is set in high school, it does feel  a little more "new adult" in places for me--aka, the sex references.

This is a fun anthology! It has lots of different types of vampire stories with different mythologies. It has vampire characters that are Black, Latinx, Desi, Native, queer, trans, and wheelchair-bound. I really enjoyed it! Some of these stories made me want whole books set in their world, particularly "The House of Black Sapphires" by Dhonielle Clayton.

CW: blood, violence, death, homophobia, ableism, transphobia, racism, child abuse, possible grooming in the Parker/Cordova story, minor/adult sex in Gratton's story

Note: the bigotry mentioned in the cw is challenged within the stories. The minor/adult sex between a 17 yo and a man in his 20s or 30s is not challenged in Gratton's story. I said possible grooming in the Parker/Cordova story because the character was 15 when she first started talking to the vampire that was turned as an older teen, though that relationship seems more sisterly than sapphic? A bit unclear.

First of all, thank you so much to Fierce reads for sending me an eARC of this!

I definitely think there need to be more anthologies, because this was a quick read, and so fun to jump from story to story! I obviously can't jsut rate this based as a whole, so I'll go through each short story and chat a bit about them!

SEVEN NIGHTS FOR DYING by Tessa Graton: ⭐⭐⭐
This was definitely a more contemporary-feeling short story, and overall, it just wasn't quite what I was looking for. She's a young, trans artist and gets the offer of a lifetime (literally), so I loved the reprsentation, but the story and writing didn't wow me.

THE BOY FROM BLOOD RIVER by Rebecca Roanhorse: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
First of, I'm so glad they asked her to be a part of this! Other than the certain YA vamp series that shall not be named, there is almost NO Native representation, or queer at that. This was a spooky story about a song that brings a group of vampires whenever they hear their songs, they come. It was a bit strange to see cowboy vampires, but I can roll with it!

SENIOR YEAR SUCKS by Julie Murphy: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Fat, queer vampire slayer. Need I say more? IT had a bit of a Buffy vibe going for it, and I really loved the writing style! The story was super unique, and I honestly want more of this one! Can we get a full book?

THE BOY AND THE BELL by Heidi Heilig: ⭐⭐
I feel like I'm still confused about this one? I'm really not sure. I think a problem with Vampire books and short stories is that authors try to be as vague as humanly possible to give them this shroud of mysteriousness, but it didn't work for me in this one. If I remember correctly, the MC is trans, so at least good representation.

A GUIDEBOOK FOR THE NEWLY SIRED DESI VAMPIRE by Samira Ahmed: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Uhm, arguably one of my favorite short stories EVER! This was such a new, beautiful approach to vamps, and I loved not only the characters, but the representation, as well as showing how vampires adapt to modern technology. Even if you don't want to read the book, definitely at least read this one!

IN KIND by Kayla Whaley: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The representation and story in this one are AMAZING! Her father killed her because he thought she was suffering, but she was instead turned into a vampire. This story was definitely one of my favorites, not to mention there's a bit of revenge in there!

VAMPIRES NEVER SAY DIE by Zoraida Cordova and NAtalie C. Parker: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
YOOOOOOOOOO this one was SO GOOD! I loved the central theme around vampire and social media, and I really enjoyed the somewhat sweet ocnnection between the two MCs. The representation is there, but it blends into the story so well, and just YES.

BESTIARY by Laura Ruby:⭐⭐⭐⭐
I've seen some people say they were confused, but nothing ocnfused me about this one! I absolutely loved the MC, I loved the setting. A zoo with a vampire MC who can talk and understand animals? She's goth but actually caring? And there's a serious water shortage??? I want this as a full book, too!!!!

MIRRORS, WINDOWS & SELFIES by Mark Oshiro: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I like the idea and the MC who is basically writing a blog on tumblr about being a vmapire and being stuck inside. As the story progresses and he takesm ore and more chances, his online fans are rooting him on. I love the idea, but I will say the ending was kind of weird? Not sure, but I'm intrigued!

THE HOUSE OF BLACK SAPPHIRES by Dhonielle Clayton: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
This one I almost gave up on, but I really liked the second half! This honestly felt like the New Orleans vampire story we need. I'm not naming any names, but this one really hit it home for me. Plus, I am INTRIGUED.

FIRST KILL by Victoria "V.E." Schwab: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Are you surprised I loved this??? No? Yeah, you shouldn't be. I went in for the representation, but I came out with a desperate need for V.E. Schwab to FINISH THIS STORY. Like, PLEASE, vampire and vampire slayer kiss, queer romance, a chase? Enemies to lvoers, anyone??? GIVE IT TO ME, PLEASE. Anyways, yeah, I liked it. What am I kidding?? I freaking LOVED IT.

Alright, I think that's all of them??? I really should have written these down as I was reading them, because this review took me FOREVER to write! Overall, I would recommend the book, but there were a few that were pretty meh. Y'all, we don't need so much vagueness and mystery! Vampires are creepy on their own.

I can't make myself give this anthology 5 stars, much as some of the stories make me want to, but that doesn't mean that I didn't love this book. It's full of queer and diverse bodies. It might sound a little ridiculous, but seeing so much representation made me tear up. My favorite stories were Mirrors, Windows & selfies by Mark Oshiro, Bestiary by Laura Ruby, and First Kill by V.E. Schwab. Some of the stories fell a little flat for me, but that's to be expected in an anthology.
Overall, I think Vampires Never Get Old is an incredible anthology that brings some much needed diversity to the vampire universe. While some of the stories aren't groundbreaking, seeing brown and black bodies, able and disable bodies, and queer folks in those situations is, and I think it's important that we're able to read it.

What a wonderful collection of vampire stories! There’s diversity, POC, Queer, romance, action, and above all, the undead. I absolutely adored how varied the stories were from each other. Some were about romance, some about tradition, some about living, but all of them revolve around the theme of vampires. I really did enjoy reading every single short story and loved the little section after the story that talks about what each story is about and raises a question for you. Each story creates it’s own atmosphere and yet still connects to the overall theme of the undead.My favorite part about this collection though was the diverse selection of people of color and LGBTQ+! This was seriously a delightful collection of stories, and I would highly recommend it for anyone who loves reading about vampires!

*Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

This collection was so much fun to read. I’m not well-versed in vampire lore, as it’s not a genre I read, but I found it to be a rather diverse collection of stories and I’m sure fans will find something satisfying within. The editors did a fantastic job of assembling a great group of authors for this anthology. There are several stories in this collection I would love to see turned into a novel or a show. I really loved reading about the modern vampire on the internet, using Instagram, downloading the vampire support app.

Samira Ahmed’s “A Guidebook for the Newly Sired Desi Vampire” was one of my favorites, and was so vivid (and funny) in my mind. Maybe it’s because I’m just coming off having watched “Never Have I Ever,” but I can so clearly picture it as a comedy with an older teenage vampire and their accepting parents who nevertheless still have high expectations for their son or daughter (“Beta, when are you going to get married?” plus all the immortal vampire “aunties” desperate to arrange a marriage). More, please!

Bestiary by Laura Ruby was also one I liked and that appealed to my lifelong fantasy about becoming best friends with wild animals, talking to them and frolicking together, the only aspect of Disney princesses that I was on board with as a kid. (And unfortunately, a fantasy I passed down to my kid - it’s tough breaking the news that wild animals do not want to be best friends with you, not even if you helped them through a very complicated problem.) Don’t get me wrong - this is not a Disney princess vampire story. Jude is way more bad-ass than that and the animals are more likely to eat you than flit harmlessly about your head. At any rate, I could do with a whole novel about this character.