thank you to netgalley and the publisher for gifting me an advanced ebook!
this book is overall very unique and interesting. I won’t lie it took me a long time to finally get into the storyline but im happy I decided to pick this one up.
The setting of the book is absolutely my favorite, 1960s Hollywood + vampires is a combo I never knew I needed, I think there’s a lot of topics and themes in this book that could be applicable in todays world. I think the author has very talented writing and storytelling. I did find some of it to be repetitive and I found some parts to be dull. But honestly I’d recommend!

Underwhelming and disappointing, but it's probably my fault for overhyping it in my mind. It was one of my most anticipated reads this year and I think I was expecting a little more hippie and a little more horror than what I got. I would say that if you already love this author, go for it. As my first book by her I'm now a little less inclined to rush to pick up another any time soon. Angsty, a lot more talk than action and for about the first 60% I was mildly bored. Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC copy!

Despite multiple attempts at trying to read Reluctant Immortals, I simply could not get into it. The writing did not grab me and could not hold my attention, despite the premise itself seeming interesting.

I received an e-ARC of Reluctant Immortals from the publisher/Netgalley, however, this review is based off of the finished copy I ended up ordering!

FIrst off?!@! That cover?!@! THAT COVER??? Gorgeous, Flawless, Perfect.

I read Gwendolyn Kiste's other book The Rust Maidens and instantly fell in love with her writing, so I was beyond excited to read Reluctant Immortals! & reader, this did not disappoint.

Not only do you get Gwendolyn's gorgeous writing, but you also get to dive into the world of Lucy from Dracula & Bee (the alleged crazy lady in Rochester's attic). Jane Eyre and Renfield also make appearances in this book. Mix in my love for classics with some modern horror that takes place in the SIXTIES & you have me hooked.

I also really enjoyed the portrayals of Rochester and Dracula. Although these characters are from eons ago & this particular story is from the '60s, it still, unfortunately, felt timely to life today.

This book felt very original & I loved reading the stories of the women that are often forgotten. I definitely recommend this one for your TBR.

I think I have retelling/reimagining fatigue because I could barely get through 10% of this without wondering what the point was over and over and over again. I think this will be great for a budding young feminist but I have read this book 1000 times it feels like lol. DNF

What a great premise. I enjoyed the characters and the way the story provoked a lot of thought regarding the men in some of our most revered classics.

Kiste is phenomenal. LOVE her style. The setting and atmosphere are top-notch here, taking place in the late 60s and featuring characters from some classics...what a ride. 5 stars!

1967. Lucy and Bertha, survivors of Dracula and Mr. Rochester are eeking out an existence in Los Angeles, spending their evenings at the local drive-in theater. When their pasts come back to haunt them, they’ll have to face some hard truths and work together to save themselves (and others) from these monsterly men.

I really enjoyed this cool take/mashup of Dracula and Jane Eyre with a queer twist and strong lady characters. Neither Lucy nor Bea are perfect, and they make a lot of mistakes along the way, but I love their friendship and their willingness to do what it takes to keep these horrible men from taking advantage of people that way they once were. It moved quickly, and I worked my way through it in about three days.

I did end up listening on audio, since that hold came up at my library and I can get to audiobooks more quickly than my print backlist, and I thoroughly enjoyed the narration and pacing. It’s out now wherever you get your books, and it’s the perfect pick for Friday the 13th.

I LOVED THIS BOOK. It's decrepit and glamorous and vintage and creepy and beautiful. THIS is the Dracula/Wuthering Heights mash=up I needed and never knew was possible. Kiste has a wild imagination and the gift to put it on the page for others to share. I love Lucy and Bertha, and Dracula and Rochester are perfect villains. I loved the setting and time period - the 60s was a perfect era to set this in. I will recommend this book to anyone and it was one of my very favorite reads of 2022

This book was a wild ride in the best way. I didn't really know what I was getting into when I requested it, but I saw Dracula, Lucy Westenra, and Immortals all together and was sold. I love books about vampires more than just about anything and I think that this book provided some new fresh commentary on old tropes and tales. It really leaned into the perspective of vampires as creepy guys preying on young non-consenting women and it kind of killed it.

Reluctant Immortals is basically a story of Lucy Westenra kicking ass in the 1970s alongside Bertha (Bee) from Jane Eyre. They both are kind of running from their respective overbearing men, Dracula and Mr. Rochester. I got big Wynonna Earp vibes from both, Lucy, and the book as a whole. The book discussed trauma, friendship, and consent in fresh ways that I haven't really seen before, especially in the horror and fantasy genres.

There were definitely points of the story where I wasn't really sure what was going on, but was definitely vibing with it. The book is definitely more character growth over plot development and the writing really reflects that. I think I would have loved the story more if it had been 100-200 pages longer, if it had really dug into the meat of the story. I would have loved to see parallel timelines of Bee and Lucy back in the day and then present day. I think it could have added a lot of depth to the story. I would have loved to have seen more from the drive in and the family there. Daisy also had a potential source of depth. Overall, a great and unique book.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!

Reluctant Immortals presents such a unique take on a Jane Eyre retelling by blending it with Dracula (another favorite tale of mine) and focusing on the poorly used women in the stories - Lucy Westenra and Bertha Mason. Dracula and Mr. Rochester serve as the main villains in the story, and honestly the idea of Rochester as a main villain was initially not my favorite choice, but I can understand how it fits into the story - especially for Bertha.

The story takes on a decadently Gothic atmosphere that comes from the anguish of Lucy and Bertha dealing with the trauma of their former lives, and the death and decay that unavoidably follows Lucy due to being a vampire. The reason for Bertha’s immortality is entirely new and quite horrific, and was definitely an interesting twist! I loved the way the story built on all of their distress and misery because it created so many evocative moments in the tale, and made the reader very sympathetic to their plights. Which is serious, once Dracula and Rochester make their appearances.

There is a nod to the heroine of Jane Eyre as Jane herself plays a part in the story. I was less impressed with this take on her, as she becomes a shell of herself and we see nothing of her independent streak that is in the novel. To be honest, the whole ending of the novel Jane Eyre does not come into play here at all - but the author explains it somewhat as just a version of the truth. The concepts are played out well though, as I find it fun to think that Bertha has seen some of the film adaptations of Jane Eyre and absolutely can’t bear how everyone is depicted.

It’s difficult to talk too much about the plot of this story, because it’s something you need to experience as you read it - I enjoyed how unique the story felt as a retelling or sequel to two famous novels. The author takes these characters and puts her own sophisticated spin on them!

I really enjoyed this book. The writing is spectacular and the plot was interesting and engaging enough to keep me on my toes and interested the entire time throughout the read. I would highly recommend this one!

This one was absolutely fantastic! Such an inventive take on vampire mythology and the atmosphere was evocatively described. A new favourite!

RELUCTANT IMMORTALS is a story I can honestly say I have never read before. This unique and utterly addictive book pulls you in with the premise but keeps you reading with the eloquence of the prose and the depth of the characters.

What I loved so much about this book was how Kiste breathes life into two characters who are often put on the sidelines in classic novels—Lucy Westenra and Bertha Mason. With heart and acerbic wit, the reader can take a journey with these two women as they battle the men from their past who continue to haunt them in the present. Their story is more than just about vampires and demons. It threads in real issues women face in relationships and today’s society.

This tale is one of the most captivating and original tales I have read in a while. I cannot wait to see what comes next from Gwendolyn Kiste.

I requested this on recommendation of a friend who I later found out doesNOT share reading tastes with me at all. Thank you so much for the approval, but I don't think it's for me.

This premise had me PUMPED. But it's not the first classic literature-inspired book that's been a huge let down for me. With Dracula's Lucy as the narrator and Jane Eyre's predecessor Bertha (aka Bee) as her side kick, out to defeat the curses of their past relationships with monstrous men, I really wasn't sure how this coule go wrong. The set up was good (despite the first-person, present-tense which is just never going to work for me), and I loved how creatively these two classics were meshed together. But the hook didn't last for the long haul and I found myself less and less excited to pick this up the further I got into it. By the 60% mark I was ready for it to be over. The end wasn't bad, and I enjoyed how it all wrapped up well enough but ultimately it felt like too long fanfiction that took characters but none of the depth or beauty from its sources of inspiration.

This book caught my attention with its cover. It wasn’t until later that I read the synopsis and thought Mexican Gothic claim is a tall order. I found this book captivating enough to finish. The authors writing is exceptional. I did catch myself eye rolling during all the man bashing rhetoric. Also on the fifth use of primordial in a sentence. The main gals don’t live up to the backstory of having survived 70 +years. There should be more grit to them. More survival instinct at least and let me tell you they made wrong move after wrong move. The evil men once encountered were mere caricatures of the monsters they should have been.

If you ignore all that it’s a decent mouse/cat thriller with a satisfying ending. 3.5 rating

This is the 60s Jane Eyre / Dracula crossover episode I never knew I needed! This was campy and fun, and I did enjoy the pacing quite a bit, but ultimately I felt like it was quite repetitive, which kept me from fully investing. I loved the concept, especially the pairing of Jane and Bertha, but Lucy's heroic role and inner struggle against the nature Dracula gave her. I could completely picture everything happening, it all just felt more like a novella than a full-length novel, and so I lost steam towards the end.

The perfect read for October!

This is such a quick read that could be devoured at a coffee shop, pool, beach, etc.

Reluctant Immortals gives such an interesting take on classic gothic horror female characters. It is inspired by the untold story of the neglected and abused women of Dracula and Jane Eyre. While being set in 1960s California. The story and general idea was interesting, but I would have loved more of a backstory on the women other than things we would already know via the source material.

We are dropped into the 1960s and I think this book could have had more appeal if it explained why and how they got to Los Angeles. Bertha is haunted by the flames that burned her and Lucy has Dracula's whispering ashes. Like how did we get here. I wanted this to work so much.

I love love love the drama of Jane Eyre and Mr. Rochester, but I don't think this handled Jane well at all. Like she was this sad victim. I get it Bertha is the main girl, but still, Jane is a boss so why is she acting like this?

There is so much to be left waiting for that this did not hit, but it was still fun and easy in a way.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book, but I really enjoyed it! The plot is really unique and combines characters and a setting that you wouldn’t expect to work together, but it does.

The writing style in this book is gorgeous and is definitely my favorite part of the story! It features lyrical prose and describes the setting in a beautiful way that makes you feel as if you’re truly there.

I really enjoyed that this book focuses on women history has forgotten and is feminist throughout. The pacing was also done really well and I was interested the entire time.

I think that fans of classics will enjoy this retelling! It’s fascinating, well-done, and unique.