Sloane is trudging through life and just going through the motions. Her husband surprises her with a trip for her birthday but not with him. Instead it’s a girls weekend with her trouble making best friend Naomi. When Naomi plans a night out with some strangers their lives are changed forever.

I’m not generally into vampires but this was a fun, crazy, bloody good time. It’s a fast paced, entertaining book with Sloane finally trying to just live and do what makes her happy. The cast of characters were interesting and likable and unique. There are some horror elements and some gore and it’s a great choice for spooky season.

Rachel Harrison does it again! I was a huge fan of Cackle and Such Sharp Teeth, so I knew I had to get my hands on this one! She has such a masterful way of blending the right amount of weird with the paranormal and a dash of all the feel good emotions! If you love vampires, female friendships, feminine rage, and a fun and twisty time pick this one up immediately!

Publishing 9/10/24

Thank you so much to Berkley and NetGalley for providing me with this eARC in exchange for my honest review!

I loved this book! This was my second Harrison novel after reading Black Sheep and I absolutely loved it.

So Thirsty is a vampire novel, but it is so much more than that. Harrison provides a fresh take on the vampire genre, subverting the usual vampire lore while still paying homage to the genre. At the heart of this novel, though, is the friendship between Sloane and her friend Naomi, after what starts as a fun night celebrating Sloane’s birthday irrevocably changes them.

So Thirsty examines life and friendship and how one’s desires shift and change through life. Most importantly, it is about making changes for yourself and taking ownership of your life. Harrison’s tight prose and witty humor plays well with the dark themes in this book.

This one gets a strong recommendation from me, especially if you are looking for a fast, first-person, plot/character hybrid with a fun twist on the vampire genre. If you enjoyed her previous novel, Black Sheep, I think you’ll enjoy this one, too.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC!

Synopsis:

Sloane believes she’s content with her uneventful life. She has a nice home, a high-end vacuum, and a sweet little peach tree growing in her yard. Why would she ever want to change that? When her husband sends her on a girls' getaway weekend, Sloane is reluctant to go but excited to reconnect with her BFF Naomi. Sloane pictures a weekend filled with wine and cozy robes, but Naomi has other plans. Naomi thinks Sloane is drowning in her boring life and wants her to have some fun. Only her idea of “fun” involves a secluded house party and a group of sexy strangers. Sloane and Naomi may not agree on the same definition of fun, but one thing they will agree on is that this birthday weekend is going to be a weekend they remember for eternity.

My Thoughts:

This was a fun read about friendship, love, found family, and vampires. At times, there’s a bit of a Thelma and Louise vibe, which I enjoyed. The characters are all fantastic. I found Sloane relatable but also a little frustrating. She’s someone who mistakes comfort/security for happiness, and even when true happiness presents itself, she clings to what she already has, too afraid to embrace what she really wants. I think I saw myself a little too clearly in this character, and that frustration I was feeling was really frustration at myself, but I digress. 😅

I’m not a big fan of romance in general, but I did root for the two love birds in this story to get together. There are a few spicy scenes. Spice isn’t really my thing either, but I thought it was done well and fit the story. For me, the best part was Sloane and Naomi’s friendship. Both women are headstrong, and they clash at times, but it’s obvious how much they care for each other. Best friends for eternity. Blood sisters for life.

✅ Recommend

My favorite voice in feminist horror, Rachel Harrison, returns with a novel to sink your teeth into! As you might have guessed, So Thirsty follows the lives of Sloane and Naomi, two seemingly opposite best friends, who are turned into vampires after a weekend getaway turns bloody. Following their transformation, they join a rag tag team keen on showing them the ropes of their newfangled immortality, but guilt and thirst are a powerful thing, and Sloane and Naomi will have to figure out how to live with both.

Thematically, So Thirsty could be a companion novel with Harrison’s previous release, Such Sharp Teeth (a dissection of the female werewolf experience). In this book, Harrison analyzes the practicalities of vampiric life. She dives into the logistics of how vampires can ethically aquire sustenance, if it’s possible to lay down roots during an immortal lifespan, and how the bloodthirsty grapple with survival vs conscience. We as readers are asked to speculate what makes a victim and what makes a monster, or is there an in-between where the two can coexist?

There is also the fleeting nature of youth, and the longing to remain in unencumbered juvenility. The desire for everlasting youth is something many of us can relate to, but how would our outlooks change if we were granted such a wish? There is a beauty in aging. A beauty that only experience and growth can offer. Harrison brings this dilemma forth by showcasing Sloane’s reluctance for immortality despite her earlier detestation of celebrating her birthday.

The above themes are driven home through Sloane and Naomi’s friendship and the fundamental differences between both women. Sloane, the former self-destructive party girl turned complacent housewife, and Naomi, the nomadic wild child, are at two different stages of life. Watching them wrestle with their newfound fate and forge a path that complies with their diverging lifestyles was interesting to behold. Female relationships are near and dear to my heart and I enjoyed discovering how these childhood friends adapted to their circumstances as they slowly uncovered changes in each other.

So Thirsty is a fast-paced paranormal read that will keep readers flipping pages. I was so engrossed that I finished it in two quick sittings. Rachel Harrison has become one of my favorite literary voices and it’s always exciting to devour and analyze her work.

Many thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I really loved the female centric plot of this novel, and have always thought Rachel Harrison was at her best when she was exploring female friendship side by side with a horror trope. Cackle was one of my favorites of hers, and this book felt like that book's cousin, almost. Cackle was about a newfound friendship, whereas this book was about a long time friend, but otherwise I felt like it explored those themes well.

I do wish it was scarier though. I think I always go into Harrison's books thinking horror, and what I get is...not scary. Like it's the right subject matter but not the right fear factor. I think once I accepted that I wasn't going to be afraid (except the old lady bit!), I enjoyed the book more.

Rachel Harrison books just get you in the spooky season! This one was no exception. Sloane and Noami go on a girls trip from Hell. Life takes an expected turn and they are both forced to deal with the unthinkable even if it’s not within your taste. I enjoyed this one but I kind of was disappointed with the ending. Wish it would have turned out a different way but it was still enjoyable. It was fast paced, and I loved the narrator!

Thank you to @berkleypub @prhaudio for the #gifted copy of the book.

Vampire fans! Tis the season!! I alternated between listening and reading depending on what I was doing and enjoyed BOTH formats. I love Rachel Harrison's books!! Sloane and Naomi have been friends forever, but they don't see each other often enough. For her birthday, Sloane's husband gifted her a weekend getaway for her and Naomi. Little did they know, the weekend getaway would turnout to be a lifetime runaway from all the things she hates about her life. While Sloane struggles with her new found life, Naomi embraces it. My only disappointment was the ending.

So Thirsty is a journey of self discovery and an exploration of female friendship disguised as a campy horror novel, with a splash of romance, tons of atmosphere, and just a touch of gore.

I guzzled this book down like it was the only thing keeping me from being so thirsty. It is an irresistible read, perfect for spooky season and vampire fans.

Sloan is content with her life. She works, cooks, cleans, has mild mannered sex with her husband once a week and pretends she doesn’t know he’s fucking someone else. The only thing Sloan isn’t ok with - her approaching 36th birthday.

Sloan doesn’t want to go on a surprise birthday trip planned by her cheating husband - she’d rather stay home and watch tv and maybe keep him from bringing some younger girl home to fuck while she’s gone. Like any good content wife, she agrees to go - at least she’ll get to spend a relaxing weekend with her best friend Naomi.

Naomi is not content - she wants more. More fun, more drugs, more sex, and most importantly she wants more for her best friend Sloan. So Naomi does what any self-centered but well meaning friend would do. She drags Sloan out for a wild night out with foreign strangers, at a creepy house in the middle of nowhere.

What could go wrong? Or what could go right?

—

A note about the “horror” elements…
I haven’t read anything categorized as a horror novel since stealing my brother’s Stephen King novels in 5th grade. I am a scaredy cat, I don’t read or watch things that would encourage scary dreams. This was scaredy cat safe as long as you have a moderately strong stomach for some minimal (in frequency and level) gory descriptions. Another reviewer describes it as “cozy horror” and that feels like the perfect description.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for sending this book (eARC) for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

So Thirsty 🩸🍷

Rachel Harrison is back at it again with another fast-paced page-turner that I literally DEVOURED in less than 24 hours. Our heroine Sloane was relatable as always when it comes to Harrison’s feminist-paranormal-horrors that I just can’t get enough of. As for the best friend, I’m not sure if I want to be Naomi, have a friend like Naomi, or neither 😅

I will say, the first half was giving 5 star energy, but the last 1/3 left me wanting a little bit more. The epilogue was a nice little dessert that honestly sets up a sequel I’d get my grubby lil hands on in a heartbeat.

I will pick up ANYTHING Miss Rachel writes and already can’t wait for the next ❤️🖤

Two best friends are enjoying themselves partying around the country only to encounter a dangerous group of vampires who end up turning them. Faced with an indescribible hunger, the two friends have to learn how to survive in a whole new paranormal world. Great on audio narrated by my very fav, Brittany Pressley and perfect for fans of books like We love the nightlife by Rachel Koller Croft. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!

I had such a fun time with this book! I didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I did, simply because vampires are sometimes hit or miss with me, but I really did and really liked what the author did with the themes. I really liked that there was some paranormal mixed with bits of horror here and there, and I found the characters really engaging and entertaining to follow. I really loved that this was a friendship-oriented book, as I always love a good friendship in a book. This is a perfect fall read and has officially convinced me that I need to read Rachel Harrison's other work.

THIS WAS INCREDIBLE. 😭 Rachel Harrison is officially a fav author. Since the book is out tomorrow, updating below with my full review:

This was eerie, weirdly cozy, creepy, unhinged, hilarious, and everything in between, but most of all, PHENOMENAL. It was impossible to put down and so easy to read, I don't even know what it is about Harrison's writing but it's just so incredibly sharp and witty and flawless. .

The story follows Sloane, a 36 year old that leads a mundane life. She's married to an awful cheater of a husband, but chooses to stay because she fears what change would entail. She's comfortable with her life and is in a phase where she really does not want to take any risks. Her bestie, Naomi, is the total opposite and a complete free spirit. The cheater husband sets up a birthday vacation for the two (guess what he's up to while she's away...gross) and they end up at a remote winter cabin.

The two encounter a strange and weirdly hypnotic group of people who turn out to be (not a spoiler) VAMPIRES. It felt very Cullen family but more unhinged. As they go over to the pseudo-Cullens' place - Sloane in particular is drawn in by one of the vampires who is instantly also mystified by her. Turns out, these vampires have a ton of secrets and Sloane and Naomi quickly get tied up in their antics. They go on quite the journey (literal and metaphorical) and the fun truly never stops.

This was atmospheric (snowy winter vibes), hilarious, eerie, creepy (more heavy on the overt horror elements than Harrisons' others books) and strangely heartwarming. It's about friendship, self-discovery, change, ageing and different life stages. Touches on so many beautiful concepts without ever feeling cheesy. Loved it.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group & Netgalley for the ARC! <3

This wasn't for me. I can see why folks love Rachel Harrison. The novel was well written and easy to read. I rarely get into vampire books, but on occasion, I find one that I really enjoy, which leads me to read another one that doesn't live up to my expectations. I think this is what happened here. I recently read a fantastic toxic friendship vampire novel and then jumped into So Thirsty shortly after finishing that one. It just didn't compare. I have no idea why the two friends in So Thirsty were even friends. Such catty and petty behavior between the two. I guess maybe I wanted darker and twisty.. this felt more surface level and campy. I think fans of Cackle and other Rachel Harrison books will be entertained and enjoy the novel.

I read and reviewed an advanced readers copy offered through netgalley and by the publisher

In her newest novel So Thirsty, Rachel Harrison tackles aging and female friendship in a bloody, visceral and terrifying way. From the very beginning, we as readers are drawn into Sloane’s life, realizing just how stale and bland it is and how much she dreads aging. The horror elements start with a creepiness that quickly turns bloody and violent as a wild night out changes everything for Sloane and Naomi.
What I love the most is that the narrative centers itself on the friendship between Sloane and Naomi despite the romantic elements along the edges of the story. Their friendship is the heart of the story and how each tackles the challenges in their lives. As they find, no matter how they live, life is messy and full of consequences. I love that their new thirst is compares with shame and how women must embrace themselves fully in order to rid themselves of the shame society would like them to have. The novel is brilliant as it compares vampirism with aging and desire.
If you’ve enjoyed Rachel Harrison’s other novels or you like a unique twist on vampires, you’ll want to pick up So Thirsty. The brilliant story is layered with messiness and consequences as Sloane and Naomi learn to embrace their new identities and find a way to navigate the new truths in their friendship. The story is visceral and terrifying, full of blood and gore. I enjoyed the creepy vampire elements but most of all, I love the female friendship.

So Thirsty was so unhinged, I loved it! This book was such a compulsive, addicting read. It also features the most dysfunctional and co-dependent vampire family to ever exist. Sloane and Naomi’s friendship was very believable to me. She is an introverted, people-pleaser with codependency issues who has settled because of the fear of rocking the boat.

It was interesting to see how each of them handled the transition to becoming vampires. Sloane is trying to maintain her sense of control over everything while Naomi is wanting let loose damn the consequences. However, their attempts at normalcy fail when they leave a trail of bodies in their wake. But they find solace with their new vamp family (and lovers). At the heart of this novel is a story about a woman learning to break away from a toxic relationship that allowed her to maintain the status quo and embrace a new identity.

Rachel Harrison does it again with this vampire story. Probably my favorite vampire story ever. This is my second book by her and I swear I go into these thinking “oh this will just be fun” but they are so deep and have so much meaning. If you are looking for a good fright, pick this one up.

Vampires are back in this friendship centered story with a twist! Fans of Rachel Harrison's previous novels will want to sink their teeth into this one ASAP!

The nitty-gritty: Rachel Harrison takes on vampires in this fun, fast-paced story about friendships and sticking together when life gets tough.

The short version: 

Thelma & Louise with vampires.

The long version:

I’m a huge Rachel Harrison fan, especially since her last book Black Sheep was one of my top five favorite books of 2023. Because of that I’m always chasing that next book that will be just as good. So you can see why So Thirsty had a lot to live up to. And I ended up really enjoying it, because Rachel Harrison is an excellent writer, but it didn’t quite hit the highs of some of her previous books. Still, I had a lot of fun with it, and I’m glad the author finally tackled a vampire story (she’s done witches, werewolves and demons already).

We meet Sloan, who is about to turn thirty-six and is in crisis over her aging body (like the wrinkles and saggy skin that have suddenly appeared on her face). Despite her anxiety at celebrating yet another birthday with very little to celebrate, her husband Joel surprises her with an all expense paid weekend trip away with her best friend, Naomi. Sloan suspects Joel is cheating on her, and she can’t help but think the trip is a ploy to get her out of the house. Still, it would be nice to reconnect with Naomi, who she hasn’t seen in a while, and so the two make plans to meet up at the swanky cottage Joel reserved for them.

They settle in and decide to check out some of the bars in town, where Naomi meets an intriguing Russian named Ilie who invites them to his lake house. When they arrive, Sloan and Naomi are introduced to a group of odd characters, friends of Ilie’s, but Sloan’s sixth sense kicks in and she gets the feeling that something isn’t quite right with these people. Her fears are confirmed when a violent and unexpected accident happens and the two women are forced to make a terrible decision.

The book cover says “vampire” loud and clear, so I don’t think it’s a spoiler to reveal that Ilie and his friends are vampires, and Sloan and Naomi are about to become vampires themselves. Although Harrison uses some familiar tropes of the genre, some of the elements felt fresh to me, especially the messiness of becoming a vampire and dealing with the thirst for blood that comes with it (think True Blood rather than Buffy). The author doesn’t sugar coat anything about obtaining and drinking blood, especially when it comes to newbie vamps Sloane and Naomi, who have a desperate, aching thirst that they will do anything to assuage.

I also enjoyed the friendship between the two women, although their characters do fall into predictable patterns and tropes at times. Sloane is the oh-so-careful one who loves her boring routine and never wants to take chances, while Naomi lives for the moment, a wild child who never says “no” to an adventure. Here is where my Thelma & Louise comparison comes in, as Sloane and Naomi are forced to figure out their new lives but end up making terrible, messy mistakes along the way.

There are a couple of standout scenes in So Thirsty, but I wanted the entire book to rise to that level, and unfortunately it didn’t. My favorite parts of the story were Sloan and Naomi trying to figure out their new lives and not doing a very good job of it, like one explosive scene at a gas station that brought together all the best elements of their struggle. Other parts of the book focused on relationship drama—between Joel and Sloan, Lee and Naomi, Henry and Sloan—and just didn’t do much for me (and I’m not even going to discuss the orgy scenes, which felt contrived and sort of ridiculous).

I also didn’t like Ilie, Henry and the rest of the vampires, who were more like caricatures than fleshed out characters. Ilie in particular felt like a goofy, movie version of a vampire, and I could almost hear him saying something cliché like “I vant to suck your bloood!” I think Harrison was trying to infuse her story with black humor, but it wasn’t nearly as successful as the humor in her other books.

One of the things I love most about Harrison’s books is that she knows how to incorporate emotional, relatable themes into her stories, but So Thirsty missed the mark when it came to affecting me on an emotional level. This is a fairly short book, and I think the story would have been better if it were longer and had more time to develop some deeper themes.

Still, it’s not a bad place to start if you haven’t read this author before, and despite some of my complaints, So Thirsty is a lot of fun. It gets a solid four stars from me for the parts I loved, and I’ll be eagerly awaiting her next book.

Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.

I absolutely loved this book! While I could see where it was going there was an incredible discourse about middle aged women. I could relate so well to Sloane. It is so easy to fall into habits and to stay with what feels safe. Her bold decisions with Naomi lead to her finally having the time (eternity) to rediscover her love for herself. There was also such an interesting dichotomy between Sloane and Naomi. In addition I really loved Henry's character. I wish we could have seen more of the vampire group and what happened with Sloane and Naomi. I would totally read a follow up to this story. There was a great mix of horror and romance and thriller that Rachel is a master of. She balances so many genres but does it so well. I would definitely recommend this one for spooky season!!