Vampire Weekend is one of those books that you walk into, wanting something grungy, punk, dark, maybe hard-core... and come out feeling Disney-ified.

The writing was easy to breeze through but I guess I’m too unfamiliar with American music to enjoy this much. Also, there wasn’t a lot happening at any point in time. Not my usual kind of vampire novel.

There really isn't anything glamorous about being a vampire. There's no flying, there's no changing forms, the vampire community frowns on actual killing, and there's no 'converting' anyone else into a vampire. Being a vampire really only entails late nights and stealing blood bags for sustenance.

Louise Chao finds being a vampire a lonely existence. She's been estranged from her family for years and she's yet to make any close friends. A long-time attendee of punk rock music concerts, Louise discovered she'd been 'turned' into a vampire after attending a concert, but no one was there to explain what had happened or to guide her through the experience. But that was decades ago. Now she's just trying to find her groove and get into a band so that she can play the music she enjoys. And playing night gigs would fit nicely into her routine.

An old friend, Ian, reconnects with Louise and despite the care she takes to keep her condition a secret, he discovers the truth about her and asks for a favor - to become what she is. But it's a favor she cannot grant and she's not sure she would even if she could.

First off I want to say that I'm really glad that there's a strong music connection to this book, given that one of my favorite music groups from the last couple of decades is Vampire Weekend (whom I first heard on MPR's The Current).

Interest in vampires waxes and wains, usually dependent on a very popular vampire either in literature (ie Interview With a Vampire) or in film/television (ie True Blood) or even comics (Vampirella). I don't know what the 'big' vampire is today, but I have suddenly seen a number of books recently with vampires as characters. Typically, the books try to 're-imagine' the vampire - to give them new rules as to what they can and cannot do. Mike Chen's Vampire Weekend probably changes it the most. That's neither good nor bad (unless you are a purist) - it just is.

The odd thing about this book, though, is that while being a vampire, with all the new rules regarding vampirism, defines who Louise Chao is, we also sense that Louise's isolation and introverted personality goes well beyond her vampirism.

And we don't really care.

The book spends way too much time following Louise's lonely existence and struggles to make friends and to join a band. As readers, we hoped it would all go somewhere, but it takes so long to get there that we lose interest.

There's hint of a huge vampire conspiracy and the book picks up interest once we get out of Louise's life, but this happens very late in the book. The book is about Louise, but the interesting things that happen are well beyond Louise.

I enjoyed the read but I was always waiting for something to actually happen, which makes for frustration when the book is done.

Looking for a good book? Vampire Weekend by Mike Chen takes a new look at a classic 'monster' by focusing on a rather dull character.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me access to the free advanced digital copy of this book.

This book was a slow one. I really wanted to like this book but really didn't. The main character was annoying. Since she is the main POV, the reader is actually bored.

The characters and pace weren't what I hoped for, nevertheless the writing style didn't disappoint and its a book I'd definitely recommend!

I loved Mike Chen's Here and Now and Then and this book did NOT disappoint! A love letter to the punk rock scene, VAMPIRE WEEKEND is about family and connections, but also living a life worth living.

Unfortunately, this book didn't grab me like WE COULD BE HEROES did. I still liked the writing style, but for me the characters and pace weren't what I hoped.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Vampire Weekend by Mike Chen is a humorous and heartfelt adventure that revolves around music and family connections. The story follows Louise Chao, a vampire working as a hospital janitor to access blood without harming humans. Chen skillfully subverts vampire tropes, portraying Louise as a sympathetic character with no interest in traditional vampire abilities or sensual pleasures. Chen's strength lies in his well-developed characters and their relationships, which are easy to root for and connect with.

The book incorporates pop culture references and Louise's deep love for music, appealing to music enthusiasts across generations. Throughout her long life, Louise has admired various bands and has a longing to perform live once again. Additionally, the exploration of family ties remains emotional and heartfelt, providing a cozy reading experience that is enhanced by the book's warm and situational humor.

While the characters, humor, and musical elements shine in Vampire Weekend, the overall story falls somewhat flat and lacks inspiration. As a reader who doesn't tend to read these kinds of "cozy" stories, I found myself losing interest in the narrative as it progressed. Despite appreciating Chen's unique take on vampires and family bonds, the book didn't leave a lasting impact on me.

In conclusion, Vampire Weekend is a feel-good novel that offers warmth, a love for music, and a focus on rebuilding familial relationships. It will likely resonate with readers seeking a comforting read. However, for those looking for a more substantial and engaging story, it may be worth considering other options.

3.5 stars out of 5

I just reviewed Vampire Weekend by Mike Chen. #VampireWeekend #NetGalley

This book was amazing! 5 STARS!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me this advance copy in exchange for honest feedback.

I love how Mike Chen takes an outlandish idea (alien abduction in Light Years From Home, vampires in this book) and makes his book all about the effect of it on personal relationships. This had just enough vampire content while also being a story about found family/family dynamics/generational family issues.

Thanks to Netgalley for the e-ARC!

This was an unexpected read for me, definitely on the slower side and took me awhile to finish. The concept is a sound new type of idea but I wasn’t super keen and enjoying the storyline and characters as much as I’d have liked for me to be fully invested.

I had a great time reading this book. Life for Louise Chao is pretty simple and at times monotonous. She works nights, sleeps during the days and makes sure she has enough blood to get by. When a shortage happens, she decides to reach out to the community for help. Then someone shows up at her door one night, and ends up turning her life completely upside down. Once this tale comes to a close, life for this family changes forever.

This was such an unusual take on vampires, completely focused on the music scene from one vampire's perspective. I appreciated how interesting that focus was since I hadn't see it done that way before. I wish the lore had been explored a bit more though.

This was everything I've ever wanted in a vampire book. Thank you, Mike Chen. Not only did you romanticize vampirism but also grieve it. Life is too short so I could not fathom second guessing another chance at life. But this urged me to want to live my fullest as a human before even contemplating being a blood sucker! And that's rare coming from a vampire fanatic!

Could not rave about this more! Can't wait to urge shoppers to pick this up. Rock on!

This was a light hearted and punk vampire story ! It was a quick read for me and was an immersive experience.

This is not your normal vampire story. Yes, vampires are in it, but it is really about reconciling with your past, coming to terms with your family you had troubles with as a teen and young adult with all the expectations they and society had of you, the wonders of music, opening yourself up after loss, and maybe finding yourself. Oh, with a side of a vampire revolution.

An interesting read. The main character, Louise Chao, is anything but a super powerful vampire who can fly, turn into a bat, has super strength, hearing, and can glamor anyone to do anything she wants. In fact, her life is a bit depressingly dull, focused on working at night as a janitor and worrying if she can find enough blood to keep her going (oh, vampires do still need to keep their existence a secret, that isn't a myth, but murdering people isn't allowed). She has stopped letting people into her life, trying to be active in the vampire community and trusting people. Her life is very insular. Then, her relatives show up and things change.

My only problem with the book was there were too many flashbacks. Yeah, she has a lot of baggage and the flashbacks give some insight into it, but they take too long and really interrupted the flow of the narrative in present day.

I really liked her grand-nephew. He calls her on some of her bs and took it upon himself to save his mom. Sure, he was reckless doing that, but he was very brave. And the power of music to move people and express things that sometimes just can't be said in plain words is beautifully portrayed in this book and how important that is to some people. Punk rock lives and breathes in this book. All the power to it.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

This was a fun read about a vampire named Louise. It’s not really horror, it felt more young adult to me. It could have been a bit shorter, some of the parts seemed repetitive, but all in all a decent story and I would definitely read more by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

I really truly wanted to like Vampire Weekend. I enjoy vampire stories and I love punk. I loved the idea of exploring the unglamorous side of being a vampire. But this story was just so slow that I couldn't engage with it. I only got about 15% through before I decided I couldn't finish it. Maybe it gets better as you continue but there wasn't anything in the beginning that made me interested enough to stick around and find out.

⭐️ ⭐️