I am always on the hunt for new vampire literature to sink my teeth into (pun intended) so I was excited to come across A Long Time Dead. Queer vampires are one of my favorite basis for a story. This was a fun and lovely read, it felt gothic while also being more feminist than traditional literature. Poppy is such fun to follow, her foul language and aloof approach to life is refreshing in a sometimes stodgy genre for historical romance. All the characters came to life on the page, and the found family element was so well established and their relationships had meaning and weight. Absolutely will be recommending this!

05/30/2023 || Review for A Long Time Dead by Samara Brenger thanks to NetGalley || #ALongTimeDead #NetGalley #sapphic #sapphicromance #vampire #vampireromance #gothic #gothicromance

Rating: 5 Stars
Queer Historical Vampire Romance

A Long Time Dead ended up being such a treat to read, I am very grateful to have been able to follow the story alongside Poppy Cavendish and Roisin in foggy, 1800's London. The friends found and made along the way became as much like my own family as they became Poppy's family.

This ARC is so easily a 5 star read for me. Its a tad slow burn at the start, but it immediately picks up and takes you for a ride! It has love, it has spice, it has heartbreak, it has sorrows, but most of all it has a happy ever after ending for the queers!!!

I had very little complaint about the entirety of the story. My only issue truly being with the very end- the end battle with the big bad guy just felt too.....sudden and too fast paced.
It could have been just me- getting super excited I started to read fast, but it just felt too sudden.

Also I wanted more.
I wanted more of Roisin's POV, I wanted more of the family life with the Brood, I wanted more of their queer joy. I enjoyed at the end of each part to get a bit of a peak into Roisin's POV/adventures or other side (but still very important) characters. But again- I ended the book wanting to stay with them all so much longer and read more of their stories.

I cried out with joy, with pain, with heartbreak, and with so much love in my heart for this story. I truly loved A Long Time Dead so much and I am so overjoyed that its out in the wild now for others to enjoy!!

A Long Time Dead

The description was beautiful, and I was so excited to start it. It's gothic-esque, there is plenty of smut bordering kinky, LGBTQ+ characters, and vampires. All of these are pure bliss! But after a short time, I found it difficult to stay interested and wasn't enjoying the story. Another problem I had was that while this supposedly takes place in 1837, the writing is very modern and too flowery for me. I also didn't really like Roisin from the beginning. She quickly got to be annoying with some of the things she said and did.

Thank you Netgalley & Bywater Books for the opportunity. All opinions are my own.

Rating: 🩸🩸/5

4⭐️

I’m a simple person, you tell me sapphic vampires and found family and I’m gonna have to read it.

In a story told over the span of several decades, we learn who Poppy and Roisin are both together and apart. Poppy is young and is learning how to be a vampire and what it means for her. Roisin has been alive for centuries and holds dark secrets close to her chest.

We get to watch how their relationship grows over the years but also how their relationships are with their friends from the Brood, a group of all queer vampires.

I had such a fun time reading this, it was so easy to breeze through.

*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for a honest review.*

‘A Long Time Dead’ is a sapphic vampire epic. I don’t think I’ve read anything like this in a long time, it’s very much in the vein of a gothic romance from the 80s/90s but with a fresher modern take. At times it felt slow but it seemed fitting for the actual story and characters. I had a great time reading this, it read like a historical soap opera. And the female characters, especially our main characters Roisin and Poppy, are fantastic. A great read, I look forward to more work from Samara Breger.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bywater Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

DNF at 57%. I just wasn’t invested in the story and couldn’t bring myself to keep reading. I felt like I was reading it as an obligation rather than for enjoyment.

This book was funny, and bloody gruesome. I loved Poppy. I just wasn’t invested in her relationship with Roisin.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Samara Berger for the advanced copy of this book!

This was a very interesting take on vampires. The writing was beautiful and really sucked me in. However, the books pacing really didn’t work for me. It was hard to get into and stay into. I definitely recommend others check it out, because it’s beautifully done but buckle in and stick with it.

4.5
I loved this. The characters, the plot, the family and the joy in the bad times. I just wish we had seen some more of the villain, or deeper backstory of her. I liked the ending but slightly wish it went in a different direction as it felt a tad rushed. It was a great journey to read though, and I'd gladly read more about the side characters.

I received this novel as an Advanced Readers Copy. My review and opinions are voluntary.

A Long Time Dead by Samara Breger is a vampire novel bringing fresh blood to the genre. I have been a long time fan of Bram Stoker, Anne Rice, and a few more due to my obsession with horror and vampires. Breger, however, focuses more on the intricate lives of her vampires from how broods work, vampire vs vampire enemies, and the intimacy between the creatures of the night. I would quote the book, but I would be quoting the whole novel - every sentence was a masterpiece of literature.

The story takes place in the 1800s and it follows the main characters for thirty years. We get to know them intimately and they are easily lovable. We have Poppy, Roisin, Valentin, Massimo, Carmen, Karol, Zahrah and the eldest and most cruel vampire, Cane. We also meet Sarah and Poppy's long time friend, Lizzy. The novel does have a slow pace and is very reminiscent of Anne Rice's Vampire chronicles in that way. These lives are not meant to be rushed.

Genre - 5/5 This is definitely a fantastic, gothic, sexy vampire horror/romance. Now, this horror isn't necessarily a scary read. It is more ominous and atmospheric. It feels more like a deep expose into vampiric lives and their romances (and spicy, open door, smut)

Characters - 4.5/5
I loved every character, however, I wish Poppy was a bit kinder to Roisin, she acted much in the way of a petulant child sometimes, which I get - she is a new vampire. Yet, some of her treatment was cruel. This being said, I agreed with Poppy about Roisin in some aspects. Roisin is immediately a favorite and her guilt over being a vampire because of Cane is heartbreaking. My ALL time favorite characters are Valentin and Carmen, though. Sarah and Lizzy are lovable and are worth small mentions.

Plot/Theme - 5/5 The plot and theme for this novel is powerful. We have LGBTQ+ representation, strong bonds and equally as strong hate between vampires and Cane. The trigger warnings are abuse ( across the board), torture, PTSD, and violence. It is not safe for work and features strong language and sexually explicit content. Also, it is a slow burn romance. Spice level 4/5

Pacing - 4/5 I loved how Samara Breger took her time, letting us understand the complications and the relationships of the vampires in her world. One issue I felt was it could be a bit faster in some areas as they can be a bit too slow. For some readers, the 412 pages can feel like 600. The fight scene and conclusion to the centuries old bad blood between Roisin and Cane felt rush in comparison to the decades leading up to it. I would have loved the fight and the struggle to have lasted a bit more to match the pacing and the intensity/tension Breger carefully created. It would have been 5/5 if the decades before the fight was a tad faster, the fight was drawn out, or had more to it right before the actual fight (i.e. torture, kidnapping, bargaining/captive situation, etc which does happen earlier in the novel).

Prose - 5/5 Samara Breger's writing is beautiful, devastating, captivating, and phenomenal. Her ability to describe and set up relationships and atmosphere is impressive to say the least.

Overall - 4.7/5 rounded up to 5/5

A Long Time Dead is a golden standard for vampire novels for me right next to the mother and father of vampires, Bram and Anne. Thank-you Samara Breger for carrying the torch for all of us vampire enthusiasts. Surely, a novel I will be re-reading and thirsting for a sequel.

CW’s (as provided by author Samara Breger): Blood, gore, on page sex, violence, horror elements, referenced previous emotional abuse, PTSD.

At its heart, A Long Time Dead is a novel about the many forms of love (Storge. Philia. Philautia. Xenia. Eros. Agape.) and the way that love has the tremendous ability to change even that which seems immutable.

The narrative, accompanied by rich prose and decadent worldbuilding, employs many elements characteristic of classic Gothic literature and openly acknowledges (and celebrates) the queer undercurrents of vampire mythos. At times the atmosphere oscillates between sensual and unsettling, often allowing these realms to mingle. The Bacchic/Dionysian nature of vampires merely alluded to in many of the older novels is more prominently on display here, explored in tantalizing (and occasionally haunting) detail. Perhaps the most salient example of this is the way in which arousal and vampiric hunger often interlace in this novel, giving greater dimension to what it means for a vampire to be consumed by bloodlust.

The chemistry between protagonist Poppy and love interest Roisin is immediate and intoxicating. Their desire is palpable, and I found myself pining and yearning for their coupling alongside them. Their sapphic, slow-simmering angst pays off deliciously, and the relationship they cultivate throughout the novel is beautiful.

The characters who surround Poppy and Roisin (namely The Brood) are each uniquely endearing, fully-realized individuals, and together they construct such a wholesome, charming, and diverse queer found family. If given the opportunity, I would absolutely read a novel/novella exploring the backstories of members of The Brood more thoroughly, or even a story centered on the formation of The Brood itself.

A Long Time Dead is the lush, queer love letter to vampires that I was unaware I was waiting for but I am so thrilled to have found. This novel is among my favorites of this year, and perhaps one of my favorite novels more generally (I really love vampires, haha).

I was very lucky to get an ARC and this is my honest review. What can I say about this incredible sapphic vampire book other than I love you Samara Breger will you marry me? LOL. I've been a fan since reading Walk Between Worlds and I am so happy that she wrote another book. Please keep writing Samara!!

The best word to describe this book is beautiful. I fell head over heels in love with the writing as the lyrical prose made this world come alive. We are thrown into the book as Poppy wakes up from being turned into a vampire. The slow paced year that it takes her to settle into her new existence is filled with exquisite detail. Roisin is her not-too-reluctant teacher into this world as their relationship blossoms. The subtle humor that is seen throughout is magical and every single character is fleshed out with large personalities that forces you to love them all. There is pining that will break your heart. There are happy and sad reunions throughout. There are revelations and discoveries that will have you gasping. There is found family that will always have your back. This is not a high adventure book but one you slowly absorb into yourself. I cannot say enough good things about it and it is the best sapphic book I've read this year.

This book is wonderful! A gorgeous Gothic vampire romance with totally fantastic, unforgettable characters, and a lovely touch of humour. I am totally in love with Poppy, the potty-mouthed former prostitute. Five stars are not enough for this beautiful book.

I couldn’t get past the prose unfortunately, it was a bit too purple prose for me. This could’ve been good but I couldn’t do it. Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing the ARC!

Let me start off by saying, I loved this so much I ran to buy a physical copy on the day it was published. This has instantly become one of my favorite reads of all time.

Victorian era: ✔️
Gothic vibes: ✔️
Slow burning romance: ✔️
Vampires: ✔️
WLW: ✔️

I would give this 1000 stars if I could. Don't think about reading this, read it. NOW.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

3 / 5 Stars

CW: Murder, Blood, Mentions Of Past Sex-work, Sexual Content, Implied Torture

If I had to describe this book in two words it would be: slow burn. Like, really, really slow burn.
On the one hand it's nice to see that we're not rushing things. You have to walk first before you can attempt to run. And when you get newly transformed into a vampire you struggle. That's a given. Just like you don't develop feelings for someone over night.
And yet, with that being said, on the other hand, we spend a long time not really doing anything. We talk, we talk some more and wouldn't you look at that , 43% of the book has passed.

I'm not a toddler. I don't have an attention span of 3 seconds. I can invest my trust and patience in build up - in theory. But I can also understand how not everyone could or would feel the same.

Especially given the fact that the way things ended made me question if my patience was really rewarded. We build up this showdown, those last 30% are all amazing, high stakes, can't wait to turn the page and then it ends the way it does and I'm here like: "Did we just defeat the bad guy by using the power of friendship?? It feels like we did."

It also isn't helping that I'm not the biggest fan of our main ship in the first place. I just didn't feel like you guys had that deep of a connection to justify the intense reactions you've been having. Mutial pining is one thing. What you had going on was ...something else.

The side characters were nice - some more than others - but felt drowned by Poppy's obsession over Roisin. At least Poppy was making up for things. She's such an amazing character, with all of her hopes and weaknesses, her confidence & charme. Also: She's fat and loving herself and I - a fat girl - am loving her for it.

There is a lot to love. Parts of this book were amazing, but it would have needed cutting. Like, let's say, 100 pages of orgies, sex and filler less. Maybe more. But 100 pages would have been a start.

I'm conflicted about this book. It's not the worst, but it's also not on my top 10 vampire books list either.

Oh, and if you wanna know what kind of rep this book has? A lot:

- multible POC (black, brown, asian)
- trans rep (mtf)
- plus-size MC
- muslim SC

Honorable Mention: Dracula

Final thoughts

If you enjoy REALLY slow slow burn & sapphic vampires you might have a good time. If you don't , well, you may wanna skip this one.

I tried really hard to read this. I didn’t even make it to 25%. A sapphic vampire book is precisely the kind of book that I love, but this book is it in theory, not execution. After almost a month of picking it up and putting it back down and picking it back up again, I’ve put it down for the last time.

•Way too flowery and descriptive language in every sentence that I would forget what was happening by the next paragraph.
•Would go from sexual encounters to feedings to I don’t even know what is going on - it was chaos.
•I realize she is a new baby vamp, and we’re in her head, but it made me feel unintelligent as a reader inside her head because the author made her mind so chaotic, even more so than I would expect from a new baby vamp.

I appreciate the idea of the book, but the execution was so poor I couldn’t even give it two stars. I was very bummed because this book was high on my want to read this year.

Thank you to netgalley for providing me an arc copy in exchange for a review.

I was really excited about the premise of this book. But unfortunately I found it very dry. Which made me more inclined to skim reading a good majority of it. I'm sure it will appeal to other readers but it just wasn't for me.

Gorgeous writing, a spunky main character, and a found family that rises to the occasion every time. Poppy is a sex worker in Victorian London who is relatively happy with her lot in life. She finds pride in being good at what she does and goes out of her way to help her friends. One night, she encounters a new client who is stunningly beautiful and willing to pay well. Next time she wakes up Poppy is in a house she doesn't recognize, tended by a woman she doesn't know, with a thirst she can't satiate. The woman introduces herself as Roisin. Roisin spends time taking care of Poppy and introducing her to her new life as a vampire. Poppy finds herself very drawn to Roisin, who is very guarded and reticent to share things about herself. They spend a lot of time together and watching their relationship develop was very touching. Of course, things must always go awry. The looming presence of a woman capable of destroying everything in her path changes the direction of the story. We follow Poppy as she joins the Brood, a group of vampires who become her family. I loved the Brood and seeing how everyone interacts with each other, but I especially loved Carmen, the de facto leader of the group, and Valentin, who is very sassy but hides a heart of gold. The story does meander a bit in the middle, but that really worked for me as we really get to know the characters and really hone in on Poppy's growth from 20 year old new vampire with hope and stars in her eyes to an always 20 year old vampire but with 15 and 20 more years weighing on her. Really getting to sit with Poppy and see her life, her hopes, her tragedies really leans into the gothic atmosphere that's being cultivated. The love story is also very beautiful and watching Roisin have to deal with and work through her trauma that she has stuffed deep inside for centuries was both heartbreaking and threaded with hope. For me, this book really works as a deep character study but also as a framework to really discuss the varying forms of love that people encounter in their lifetime. This story is hauntingly beautiful, yes, but there are moments that are very funny, thrilling, creepy, upsetting. I think this would be a wonderful book for a book club to really have a discussion about. It really leaves the reader sitting and thinking.

First, thank you to NetGalley, the publisher By Waterbooks, and the author for granting me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was everything I could have wanted in a vampire novel. The writing is captivating and builds such great relationships between all the characters and the readers relationship to them. The book is not only gothic and funny, but also thoroughly rooted in the complexities of emotions and finding your true family. This is book does not disappoint and by the last page, I was holding onto each word, not quite ready to let go of this story.

This book was a dark, slow burn, angsty novel with some sexy scenes. The biggest problem with this book was the pacing, the first half was extremely slow and the last half, much too quick. The main conflict just seemed built up too much to then be rushed through. I think the plot was fairly interesting though.