Lily wakes up with a hell of a hangover, not remembering anything from her night before getting margaritas with her best friend Cat. She is even more surprised when she wakes up craving... blood.

And so begins her shocking realization that she has been turned to a vampire but the cutie that walked her home last night. And it turns out the Vampire Council isn't too happy about a newborn Vampire walking around New York.

This book had all the bones of a great read -- fun characters, interesting premise, but something just wasn't quite there. The plus size representation didn't feel very positive and the writing style veered into YA quite often ("natch" is not a good abbreviation for "naturally"....). There were parts of this I really enjoyed but the conflict (i.e. the vampires that wanted to kill her) felt lackluster and condensed to the very end of the book. I was left with a few loose ends I would have liked answers to.

Overall, cute but not the best vampire rom-com out there!

This was ok but I had to force myself to read it and still couldn’t finish. .
I know some would love this book .

This was a DNF for me unfortunately!
I tried to go in with an open mind after reading some pretty unfavourable reviews but unfortunately I just couldn’t do it. Thank you for the opportunity to read NetGalley & the publisher, but just not for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of When Life Gives you Vampires.

Definitely a fun, quick read! I really enjoyed the characters and storyline. Not my typical go to, but enjoyed it none the less.

The premise was fun and I really wanted to like it, but it just wasn't for me. What bothered me the most was the pacing of the story. As soon as it got exciting, there was a series of chapters where nothing happened. I was looking forward to a story with a plus-size protagonist, because that is far too little represented, and then I was very disappointed that it was just another book about internalized fatphobia and low self-esteem. I knew it would be part of the character in the beginning, but had hoped it would come to a positive development earlier in the book. In fact, I have more of an impression that the portrayal of obesity is harmful.

I was really excited for this book. I wanted to like it but it fell flat for me. I had a hard time believing the romance between the main characters.

This book was a super quick, nostalgic read full of vampires, references to twilight, and strangers to lovers romance. I listened to the audiobook alongside an e-arc, and I have to say the narrator really made this book enjoyable for me. The jokes really hit thanks to the narrator's fantastic performance.

That being said, this book left me conflicted. While I had fun reading it, the constant body negativity and fat phobia our MC felt toward herself was hard to stomach. Granted, the author does make note of this before the book starts as a trigger warning. Still, its frequency took me out of the story on several occasions.

I will say, the author played with certain tropes and ideas in a fun way. I mean, a vampire who writes historical romance?! That gave me a good chuckle.

Overall, I would recommend this if you want a book that reminds you of the post-Twilight vampire craze, but one that also feels comfortable poking fun at vampire conventions.

A heartfelt thank you goes out to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a review copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

When I first came across this book, my excitement soared as it promised a delightful blend of romance, comedy, and vampires, featuring a protagonist on the cover who wasn't the typical straight-size character. However, as I delved into the story, I found myself constantly rolling my eyes at the narrative voice. The author's excessive use of short-term slang like "perf" and "obvi," and even typing out "BFF," became a bit jarring and detracted from my reading experience. Despite this, I must admit that the plot involving the vampires and the world created around them intrigued me. It had the potential to be an engaging and thrilling read. Alas, I found the ending to be somewhat...

I have been made aware of the fat phobia and as a chubby girl I really want to see for myself but I do not want to trigger anyone with my review.
I will post a review once I feel comfortable. I hope everyone can understand.

I enjoyed this look regarding body positivity but the focus on her body image issues, while very realistic, were a bit overwhelming at times. I wanted there to be a bit more substance beyond that struggle. There was plenty of fun and conflict outside of that but it was definitely a main focus.

That said, this main character was EXTREMELY likeable. The humor, banter, the heat, the tension. It was all fantastic! I had a fun time with these characters and the love story.

I thought that this had a fantastic concept but the execution of the topic just didn't work for me, wish it had though

I had such high expectations for this book and it just was not it. The main character was unlikable and I am all about body positivity but this was too much. I didn’t vibe with the writing and use of slang.

This book was a DNF for me. I really had high hopes for it and I tried to enjoy it but I just couldn’t get into it, unfortunately.

This book is a totally fun. Take on the vampire narrative for those who have grown up reading vampire tales but appreciate a modern twist. Our heroine finds herself in the unlikely scenario of being turned into a vampire while still carrying the burden of judgment for being a plus-size woman in the modern world. Her quest for survival and love provides an interesting twist on the story we thought we knew.

I absolutely enjoyed this novel by Gloria Duke. It was unlike any other "vampire" fiction I have read and the characters were an absolute delight. Lily was an unforgettable sassy main character and I loved the showcase of a plus size main character.

The romance was top-notch and I loved seeing it develop over the course of this book.

A great read that was perfect for the fall/Halloween season!

Thank you to NetGalley for the review copy in exchange for an honest review!

This book was refreshing. I feel like it’s a great introduction to possibly a series. I also appreciate the honesty of the narrator and her body view. As someone that’s struggled with weight, I felt myself relating to Lily so much.

It wasn’t bad, just meh. I’m saying 3 stars but it’s actually like 2.5. I was really excited for a new generation of vampire stories… but meh.

This was a eh for me. The whole story felt disjointed and something just felt off about it. I typically love fat representation but there was something that didn't work with this one.

One of the things that stand out in this novel is its witty humor and relatable characters. Lily is a refreshing protagonist who is unapologetically herself, flaws and all. Her journey of self-discovery and self-acceptance is beautifully portrayed, and readers will root for her as she faces her inner demons and the challenges of the vampire world.

The chemistry between Lily and Tristan is also a highlight of the book. Their banter and reluctant partnership make for an entertaining read, and their growing feelings for each other are both heartwarming and steamy.

When Life Gives You Vampires by Gloria Duke. Pub Date: October 4, 2022. Rating: 2 stars. The premise of this novel had me intrigued with a body positive vampire, but honestly the execution was not good. I felt the main character was not body positive and actually had a lot of unhealthy thoughts about herself that made it cringeworthy to read. I found myself zoning out and not really paying attention to the story because it was not as engaging as I hoped it would be. Maybe another vampire story will be more fulfilling for me, but this one was not it. Thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review. #netgalley