I really thought I'd love this one. Unfortunately, it didn't match my expectations.

The book was very repetitive, if I didn't remember something the first time it was said then no worries, it would be mentioned again and again and again...

I didn't much care for the "past" chapters, I kept wishing for them to end quicker so I could get back to the real action.

In the "present" chapters what I liked was the family bond, I felt it. Percival is a good big brother who would even sacrifice himself to save everyone else. PJ is pretty cool in her own way too. But my favourite has to be Geena, she's adorable, and all the cooking made me hungry.

The civil war...that was the biggest let down of all. It wasn't as exciting as it was supposed to be. Especially the way it got started - by Roger just wanting a little flying snack - give the kid a break why don't you?

All in all, it was a pretty quick read and decently enjoyable.

*Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*

I have tried to read this three times now and reach time I only mange to get through one to two pages so I give up. I can't get past the amount of times they mention he's a vampire (in third person no less so it comes across as 'new information' as if we didn't get it when he said that one line ago). I don't like a lot of the lines of the writing style. if someone can find enjoyment out of this then I am extremely happy for them up this was just not for me

I really wanted to like this book about aswangs and Filipino folklore set around a family of adopted vampires in Portland. Everything about the idea spoke to me! But the execution just fell flat. I couldn't find any depth to the story or characters, and at almost halfway into the book, I'm still not sure what the plot actually is. Sadly, this one wasn't for me.

2020 was the year where I really wanted to focus on reading more diverse authors. I saw the plot of this book and thought it was an incredibly unique premise and is based on Filipino lore which seemed like an interesting way to learn about a culture. This book succeeds in many things and really shines with its creativity. Something about the writing at times fell a little flat for me. I have however been in a fantasy slump over the past year so it may be more of a me problem than an actual problem. This books is definitely worth a look for fantasy lovers who are looking for something a bit different.

I was given a NetGalley ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I wanted to like this book so badly. It’s a book by a Filipino author featuring Filipino lore so I was really excited about this. Sadly, the execution fell flat.

It was obvious that the author really wanted to highlight the Filipino culture and I appreciated that. I’m glad that a lot of Filipino authors have been expanding into an international audience. I do appreciate what the author was trying to do but, unfortunately, there are a couple of things I find lacking.

First, the writing feels a bit clunky. Some of the sentences don’t flow smoothly and the conversations don’t sound conversational at all. Also, the characters kept on ‘peddling’ when they should be ‘pedaling’. It’s a simple mistake but it was scattered all over the book (there were 26, I counted) and it became really annoying.

Second, and more importantly, I cannot get past the inaccuracies in this book. No one can travel from Capiz to Sagada in a jeepney (unless you go by RoRo, and even then, you’d have to drive a day or so!). Sagada is also in a mountain range so it doesn’t have ‘sandy beaches’. I think these are details that could have been caught in editing and I hope these can still be fixed before the book’s official release.

There are some scenes that didn’t seem relevant and did not do anything to advance the plot. Chapter 2 could have been deleted and the book would still be the same. It took so long for things to actually become interesting, and by then, I had already given up.

I rarely DNF books and always try to stick out until the very end but this book has proven to be a mountain I cannot climb.

When Marcella Leones relocates her family of aswang vampires from the Philippines to Portland, Oregon, she raises her grandchildren under strict rules so humans will not expose them. Her only wish is to give them a peaceful life, far away from the hunters and the Filipino government that attempted to exterminate them.

Before she dies, she passes on the power to her eldest grandchild, Percival. He vows to uphold the rules set forth by Leones, allowing his family to roam freely without notice. After all, they are aswangs.

However, when the aswang covenant is broken, the murder rate in Portland rises drastically. Who is behind the murders? And who is behind the broken covenant? Along with sensie Penelope Jane, Percival must find the truth.

Full of thrilling, juicy suspense and fascinating cultural folklore, Vampires of Portlandia explores the bonds and obligations of family - both the good and the bad while exploring for the truth and what's haunting their new home they discover that there are other breeds of aswangs—werebeasts, witches, ghouls, and viscera—who have been residing in Portland for years. Such a good book if you're looking for adventuring vampires with a cultural background.