A milestone birthday isn't always something to celebrate, something Sloane - the main character of Rachel Harrison's So Thirsty - knows first hand. She's getting older and she's already well aware her husband is window shopping for a new girlfriend if not a new wife. So when her less-than-dutiful husband tells her he's booked her a weekend birthday getaway with her best friend Naomi, she puts on a brave face and goes.

At the Waterfront Collective, a resort and spa that is NOT a cult, we meet Naomi, the publicist/manager of her boyfriend's megawatt rock band and general chaos agent. Naomi and Sloane have been best friends since they were kids and they are absolute foils - Sloane is somewhat resigned to a life of disappointment and Naomi takes what she wants, even if she's not always exactly honest with herself.

Naomi's proclivity to push Sloane after a night out at the only cool bar in town results in an a birthday surprise that turns out to be something of an Eyes Wide Shut house party complete with sex, intrigue, and, eventually, murder. From there, the book escalates rapidly and spirals out of control as vampirism enters the chat and Sloane's relaxing birthday spa weekend becomes a road trip against her will.

Without heading into spoiler territory, the vampires - true to legend, very Eastern European - were fun and engaging but they serve more as a plot device than anything else, and you feel it as a reader. They exist within their own setting and backstory, which is great, but that serves to completely derail the fun setup of the book - the secluded spa and resort. Because we spend almost no actual time at the Waterfront Collective, its creepy vibe, high potential for cult and/or vampire familiar reveals, and idyllic setting are underutilized.

Once we leave the confines of the Waterfront Collective, the love story that unfolds between felt unnecessary and like it was there purely to substantiate a continued relationship between Sloane, Naomi, and the group (it is, realistically, the only thing that stops them from being promptly killed). But that's okay! Because Harrison keeps us barreling ahead to an explosive finish. This is a book you'll blaze through.

I wouldn't be surprised if So Thirsty was pitched as Thelma and Louise meets vampires - the book is at its best when its investigating what it means to be a woman, female friendship, and what it truly means to know someone. Naomi is fun, easy to like, and then easy to hate. Sloane is self-righteous and anxious but ultimately you root for. They work together. The ending shows that friendship pays off. And we love to see it.

I love Rachel Harrison! I loved Such Sharp Teeth so was excited to read this one. I found it really sharp (no pun intended) and engaging. I flew through the book and was with the characters the whole way. I loved their friendship, their own internal evolutions and I guess there's a commentary on being yourself and standing up for what you need in this life. Loved it.

Loved this from start to finish. Saw this book and the cover got me and the fact I shared a first name with the author. The first couple chapters lay a lot of useless foundation but the rest of the book was so good. Read this in one sitting. Great story, Great for the spooky season!

Complex female friendships and Vampires???? Sold!
I know I shouldn't but I went into this book with such high expectations and thankfully I wasn't let down. The atmosphere, the characters, the bloodsuckers, Rachel Harrison did a phenomenal job with writing and threading together basic human problems and then adding the perfect amount of horror to spice it up. This book would have been a five star but the pacing in the second half felt a little off. But it was still so good, easily a new favorite.

complicated female friendships & sexy vampires - what's not to love.

thanks to berkley and netgalley for the arc!

I was completely sold by this book within the first 50 pages. Sloane is a very refreshing protagonist for a vampire tale, She's in her mid-30's, she's built a life that she's completely unsatisfied with, she's unfortunately aging and her upcoming birthday is only another reminder, the only person in her life who she loves is her wild best friend who she watches live her life enthusiastically from afar.

By the time the vampires hit the scene I was begging for her to be turned. She deserves a fun, hedonistic, savage vampire life! She was so fun to root for.

I really enjoyed the cast of characters throughout this story, especially her best friend, Naomi. They were a great complicated, layered duo. And I'm glad that their relationship maintained the heart of the story throughout the book.

I think the romance was a great addition to the story as well, even if at times it felt a little messy. I think that has to do with the pacing in the second half being a bit off for my taste. This was a 5 star first half of a book that I think struggled to find its momentum at the end. Some of the scenes towards the end were so rushed that it was hard to keep track of what was even going on.

But ultimately I enjoyed the arc Sloane and Naomi went on and I was happy with the direction it decided to go with in the end. This was perhaps one of the strongest first halves of a book i've read this year and it could have been a five star read if the ending was a bit tighter.

Sloane Parker is dreading her upcoming birthday and all the things that come with being another year older. Her and her best friend, Naomi, celebrate her birthday at a lavish cottage and run into some people who will end up changing the direction of their lives… forever.

I really enjoyed this book and for this review I’d like to hone in on that this isn’t just a horror book about vampires. It’s a commentary about women’s issues and it happens to have vampires in the book. I think many women, including myself, can sympathize with Sloane and her feelings and the problems she is facing as she ages.
The writing was phenomenal and there was so many good quotes I pulled from the book.

Had the book focused more so on vampires, their lore/background, and the romance of our main character I do think this could be a multiple book series and it would be well received.

For myself the book started off strong and I kept saying it was on the trajectory to be 5 stars but the bickering between the two MCs, lack of background on our vampire buddies. and the ending just made me slowly lose interest. Still highly enjoyed the book but I was left feeling like something was lacking. Hence my rating of 3.75 stars. But, and here’s the big but, I don’t believe it was set out to be some juicy vampire novel. It’s a commentary on issues women face but with some vampire action in the mix. And the book definitely delivers if you view it in that focus.

Characters: 4/5 stars
Plot: 3/5 stars
Writing: 5/5 stars
Overall: 3.75/5 stars

Harrison once again keeping me fed with an entertaining horror lite read about the complexities of female friendship, existential dread, and choosing yourself. I really enjoyed her take on a vampire story. I’m a bit iffy on the ending and didn’t love the unnecessary half-baked romance, but this was a fun read. I find Harrison’s writing so relatable as a woman growing older and all the insecurities and hesitancies that come with it. I also really enjoy how she writes about friendships evolving over time.

Catch me in the dream mall, thinking about this book constantly until her next one comes out. Such Sharp Teeth and Black Sheep still reign supreme as my absolute favorites, but this is a close third.

Rachel Harrison is back to tackle another monster- vampires- and she does it so well.

So Thirsty tells the tale of two opposite best friends just living their separate lives, then turns into a bloodbath, and it's amazing.

Harrison's pacing is top tier, as usual, like a spider weaving a web tighter and faster as the story goes on. She has a unique way of making the characters feel real through small details.

This is the quintessential spooky season read and deserves to be on everyone's spooky season TBR.

I read this in a day, and while this review is mostly glowing, I will say I didn't love the ending, but the epilogue makes up for it, so 4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

**Many, many thanks to #NetGalley and #Berkley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review- my opinions are my own.**

So Thirsty by Rachel Harrison is a sharp and darkly humorous exploration of obsession and identity. While it delivers some engaging and thought-provoking moments, the story’s pacing and character development may not fully resonate with every reader.

While the cover and the title didn't exactly, immediately, clue me in to a major part of this story, when it did happen, I was actually excited for the turn of events.

Rather than a run of the mill girls weekend gone wrong type of story, Sloane and Naomi find themselves in need of help from the most unlikely of sources. Thus the impetus for the rest of the novel, my first from Rachel Harrison.

More than the horrifying choice that Sloane must make, this story is about living. Its about control, of self and of others. Sloane is the type of person who holds herself to a very high standard, but also doesn't allow herself to fully live because she doesnt believe she deserves it. She's constantly hiding from a trauma in her youth and believes that if she just does everything right and doesn't make waves, she will be able to control the narrative of her life. On the other hand, her best friend lives life like she's running out of time. Naomi is chaos personified. Each facet of both women's personalities are heightened when they go through their night of horror, but that also forces at least Sloane to reexamine her life and her choices. What does she want? How does she want to live? Is letting go really that bad? Is holding it all in, being careful and oh so perfect, really keeping you safe?

Under the guise of a semi supernatural horror, Harrison asks hard questions of her characters, and in turn, her readers.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC!

Rachel Harrison is simply one of my favorite modern horror authors. I have come to know Harrison's books to be full of wit but also the hard-hitting life moments that authors tend to avoid. This was no expectation.

Sloane Parker is dreading her birthday, she is in a loveless marriage with a cheating husband. When he sends her on a weekend getaway with her bestfriend Naomi, she is hesitant. 1. Sloane hates surpises. 2. She does not need another reminder that she is getting older.

While on this spur of the moment surprised three day getaway they meet Henry and from there the chaos ensues

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for this ARC!

Rachel has done it again! So Thirsty was everything I wanted it to be and more. I love how fleshed out our main characters are and I loved the vampire crew as well. Personally the crew reminded me of the vampires from What We Do In The Shadows, in all the best ways.

This was such a fun and interesting vampire book that I drank right up! Harrison’s books always leave me wanting more and more 🖤 can’t wait to see what she cooks up next!!

FAVORITE VAMPIRE BOOK OF THE YEAR!

This was SO GOOD! It was fast-paced, thrilling, different, spicy, and I DEVOURED IT. I loved the way @rachelharrisonsghost writes, she throws in whitty comments and the plots are always so spooky! Also, Henry is SO FINE. I kept envisioning him as Louis (Brad Pitt in Interview with a Vampire) add this to your spooky season tbr!!! It’s a must!

This was my first novel by Harrison and I think it may be my last. While technically the writing was great for a novel, I just ultimately think I am not the demographic for this book. I took a chance on it because I love vampire stories and this came across as a unique entry in the world of vampire writing. But to me the premise was lost somewhere. This is a very feminist book, which I love, but there was something where it just didn't mesh well. I think this was trying to be two things and it never fully leaned into either, resulting in a mixed back. I think if this had had zero vampires and been a book about women and their friendships, I would have enjoyed it more. It almost comes across as the vampire horror is an afterthought.

𝙈𝙖𝙮𝙗𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙨 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙘𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙤𝙪𝙨. 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙚. 𝙄 𝙬𝙤𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙞𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩’𝙨 𝙖 𝙜𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙤𝙧 𝙞𝙛 𝙞𝙩’𝙨 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙘.

So Thirsty by Rachel Harrison
Genre: Horror Fiction
Pub Date: September 10, 2024
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5

I read Black Sheep last year and it was such an entertaining horror book!
And that made me super excited to read So Thirsty - this year’s new release by Rachel Harrison! Thank you so much to @berkleypub for the e-ARC copy!!

This story is centered around Sloanne and Naomi, two opposites, and their strong female friendship despite all the differences. SO THIRSTY is a paranormal horror story with vampires. I liked the focus of the story being on accepting unexpected changes in our lives and embracing ourselves.

This read is fast-paced and I flew through this book. I’m excited to dive into backlist by Rachel Harrison !!

I was intrigued by the premise of this - our main character has been dealing with marital problems (i.e. a cheating spouse) and her friend takes her out on vacation where they meet a group of strangers and begin partying with them. As the cover and title suggests, there are vampires involved.

This is my first Rachel Harrison book, so I wasn't sure what to expect, but I've heard her previous novels described as "cozy horror." I would say this book has moments of horror (body horror, blood, gore), but it's not necessarily horror in tone. It's really a story about these two friends and their dynamics, with the trope of one being more reserved and cautious and the other being more wild and freewheeling.

This felt tonally all over the place - a "women's fic" story about marriage and finding your self-worth / life purpose, a story about vampires and satisfying needs/desires/thirst, a tiny bit of romance, and a story about lifelong friends. This leaned much more heavily on the women's fic side of things versus horror. Unfortunately, I also found the two characters to be painful to follow in their decision-making. I was more interested in a tertiary character, Alice, and wish we could've gotten more of her story.

Unfortunately, this wasn't for me, but you may enjoy it if you like a lighter horror read / friendship stories / stories about reigniting your passion for your life. 2.5

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

My most anticipated release of the year did not disappoint! Rachel Harrison proves, yet again, why she is an auto-buy author for me; she consistently delivers excellently crafted (gothic) settings, relatable characters and satisfying endings. The female friendship central to the story is beautiful and tragic, raw and honest. When reading Harrison's books, I often feel like she must've been a fly on the wall during some of my conversations with childhood friends, or we've lived the same lives. Her books are always full of painfully cozy nostalgia, and this one is no different.
If you like spice, you're in luck- I wouldn't call this smut territory, but it's definitely RH's spiciest book yet! Unfortunately for me, I do not like spice lol... that is most of the reason for the 4 star rating rather than the 5 stars I typically give to RH. It's almost certainly a personal thing, but the inclusion of sex made the story feel a little more shallow than what we usually get in the relationship subplot, or maybe I just didn't connect as much to this particular love interest because vampires aren't really my "thing." However, the main character's relationship with their love interest is really the least interesting dynamic we have going on in this story, being overshadowed by their relationships with other side characters that range from endearing to traumatic in nature.
Emotional abuse and dependency are strong themes throughout the book, so be aware if you find those topics triggering.
Highly recommend reading if you want to chant "Girl Power!" through your tears. <3

Thank you so much to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to receive an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

I love Rachel Harrison's books so much and when I heard about her latest novel, SO THIRSTY, I knew that I wanted to prioritize it as soon as possible. Rachel Harrison creates the perfect cocktail of horror, contemporary fiction, feminist-empowering stories I've read in recent years, and and SO THIRSTY is no exception!

The story is centered around Sloane Parker and her friend Naomi. Sloane is about to celebrate her birthday and when her husband Joel surprises her with a weekend getaway with her friend Naomi, Sloane feels a bit concerned that he didn't want to spend it with her. Regardless, Sloane is excited to catch up with her chaos addicted friend and the two spend a weekend away at a nice bed and breakfast while enjoying wine tastings and relaxation. When Naomi plans a night out with Sloane, the two meet a group of people at the bar and are invited to their house for a party, but it quickly takes an unexpected turn. Sloane and Naomi must come to terms with what their new normal will be whether they like it or not.

SO THIRSTY is unique because it's a story about people turning into vampires and coming to accept it. There's so many metaphorical messages within this center of conflict that ring true for different types of things going on within peoples' lives. I found the journey of these new vampires utterly intriguing and also very satirical that I couldn't put it down and finished within two sittings. The is the ultimate testament to a good novel! I did not looooove the ending, as I felt like it ended a bit too early, but overall this book is an amazing installment in Rachel Harrison's rolodex of supernatural modern-day horror reads. If you've read and enjoyed any of this author's previous works, you will hands-down love this one. Rachel Harrison has become an auto-read author for me, so make sure you put this one on your TBR!

I didn’t like this novel by Harrison as much as I have liked her others. Sloane and Naomi don’t have a good relationship/friendship, so I didn’t feel anything for them as they went through their problems here. I’d have to say their friendship was toxic, and I would have cut out any ‘friend’ who treated me like Naomi did Sloane. There was so much petty bickering..! There was no love, or support shown by either of them. These women also seemed like caricatures to me. There was nothing new added to the “besties retreat” trope, or the ‘newly turned vampire’ trope. Also the romance was too insta-love to me. I seriously hate that.
This whole novel was slow, and somewhat fragmented. I was able to finish it quickly because it was short. I would have loved to have learned more about Henry and his friends, and how they came together, and their backgrounds. That would have been fascinating. There was no resolution to any of the conflicts these characters had, either. And why were these vampires all homeless? Why weren’t they rich as can be..? It’s so weird.
I cannot recommend this novel as much as I would other novels by this author, because of all of these issues. But also because it was missing the snark that I loved so much in other Harrison novels, and just felt kind of meh.

When I review a book, I ask myself two different questions: Did I like it? Will YOU like it? And the answers to those might be very different.
I read Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison and thought it had some appeal, so when I saw this, I was intrigued. Sloane is a woman dealing with an unfaithful husband and the prospect of a discontented life. She meets up with her best friend, wild child Naomi, for a spa weekend. When they meet some strangers, things go sideways.

It sounded like an interesting woman-comes-into-her-power story, but it didn’t deliver for me. For one, the main crux of the story sounds like a strong female friendship. We’re TOLD that these girls have been tight friends forever, but I see no reason why. In fact they seem toxic together. They’re mean and catty to each other at times, and there was no support or love shown. They seemed more like reluctant acquaintances than best friends. Don’t tell me, show me.

I am personally not a fan of romances that don’t feel earned. You saw someone in a bar, didn’t speak to them, but decided within 5 minutes that they were your soulmate, whom you’d love forever? Then you creepy stalk them? There are a lot of readers that like that dynamic, and if you do, then this won’t bother you. For me, it’s a hard no.

Perhaps the biggest problem was there was no payoff. Sloane had a lot of issues, but did she make progress on any of them? Was there any resolution to the conflicts? Not that I saw. Also, and this is a nitpick, but that’s just me – vampires that can walk in the sun? NO. NO. Creatures that powerful and deadly MUST have some kind of weakness to counterbalance their power! And not being able to see yourself in a mirror just isn’t enough. Letting them walk around in the sun if they want just makes them too overpowered, and that turns me off.

This book didn’t appeal to me. But will it appeal to you? It’s fast paced and a quick read, it has broody vampires, it has sex. If you’ve liked Harrison’s other books and that sounds like what you want, then take a look. But for me, the characters were too immature and shallow to hold my attention for long.

I am grateful to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion, and I’m sorry it wasn’t a better one.