Horror like any good demon contains multitudes. No one wants to be in a horror story but if you do you really want to know which type you’re in as that may help you survive it. Avoid full moons, grab the half or aim for the head? There is something of expectations also in a horror story you don’t go straight to the climatic reveals you slowly build up. We pick up clues but also those clues are often down to our own biases. Hailey Piper’s brilliant novel All The Hearts You Eat is a powerful story in dialogue with horror but plays with our expectations and ultimately for me was a story of the choices that define us.

On the Atlantic coast in the small seaside town of Cape Morning Ivory Sloan is swimming and witnessed the discovery of a body washed on the shore. She also finds on the beach what appears to be a poem about death. She finds out that this was Cabrina Brite a young teenager from the town and Ivory finds a connection when she discovers that like herself Cabrina was trans. Ivory feels there is more to Cabrina’s death than meets the eye she discovers the way her parents refused to accept her but also discovers a strange link to the rocky island known as Ghost Cat Island that sits in the bay. Powerful forces are at work, Cabrina’s friends and Ivory appear haunted by her spirit but even greater dangers are in wait.

I loved this story which in many ways is in dialogue with many types of horror stories but all serving a clear purpose to help us explore the really interesting characters we meet. Initially we appear in this strange haunting town aptly punned Cape Morning to be in a ghost story. There is a sense of tragedy that a young life is wasted yet again due to intolerance: we meet Cabrina’s friends themselves trans all lost in grief, Ivory feels a connection through her own life and we witness the cruelty of parents who refuse to ever accept their daughter and instead even deadname her grave and wave off anything they didn’t wish to hear. Piper though has decided to challenge us and this story is not another tale of a LGBT character simply becoming the victim that others must help to rest and expose intolerance.

They key is so many ways is Ivory initially we think she is going to be the typical investigator like main character of a ghost story. Clearly Ivory feels a connection and we think a sense of justice to be done will be done. But Piper also hints Ivory isn’t quite the ‘creature of life’ that her tattoo says. She is in a toxic relationship that feels more about power than love. She is hiding some past trauma herself so when Ivory investigates she finds as so we that Cape Morning is a lot more stranger than we realise.

The ghost story we thought we were in morphs very cleverly into a mix of finding out that there are other worlds than these with a reveal of a dimension that feels both dreamy and nightmarish cosmic horror that can offer Ivory something she is always after and that within it is a very unusual creature that locks onto Ivory whom she will nickname Honey. I’m not going to spoil too much here as what happens is well worth you experiencing vividly and hourly but Ivory becomes less the investigator and more the catalyst for a lot of death and chaos. Piper here creates a fascinating mix of a familiar monster and yet something very much its own that is smart, dangerous and very hard to stop. Ivory’s relationship with that becomes a lot more complex and our feelings about her will change as we see her actions. Piper makes these sections always powerfully dreamy a collision of our world and something darkly magical than transforms people’s lives but brings huge danger and death to.

What I then appreciated is that the story never forgets Cabrina she is quite central to the story throughout. Two other key characters to the story are her friends and we find her lovers Xi and Rex. Their grief and their love for Cabrina comes across and through that Cabrina becomes a lot more than tragic potential suicide victim - we see her laugh, joke, start to fall in love and also her faults as a person. Cabrina was alive, a teenager figuring her life out and even Ivory hasn’t quite grasped that. As the story turns into its bigger plot Rex and Xi come to the fore challenging what is going on (aided by much classic media!) and I think it’s really notable that it’s the new generation who have to sort things out. Even Ivory carries too much of her rage and own trauma to see the bigger picture. Compassion and love perhaps are much more powerful forces but Piper makes the excellent climax of the story feel uncertain all the way.

All The Hearts You Eat is a beautiful dark horror story that lulls us into thinking we are into a mournful ghost tale and instead is something angrier, bloodier and more powerful very much a modern horror story tackling subjective sensitively but also challenging some pre-conceptions about the role of LGBT characters particularly just as victims - her we have four trans characters all in a variety of roles. It’s refreshing, thought-provoking sensual and bloody and it’s excellent horror. Strongly recommended!

I’ve realized I’m very particular about horror. And as a result I struggle to like a lot in the genre even when I know it’s good for other readers. So it’s tough because I think this is definitely for someone - just not me.

I thought this book had an interesting concept and I really wanted to like it a lot more than I did. At times I was really involved in the story and then other times I lost interest. There were some interesting twists.

I did like that this book was categorized as horror and it definitely had some horror aspects. I think this book just wasn’t my cup and tea and I’m sure others will enjoy it!

Piper intertwines classic horror motifs with themes of identity, love, and resilience, offering a new take on vampire mythology. Boundary pushing, probably a little too long, but worth the investment for me.

I was excited to read All the Hearts You Eat because I've heard so many good things about Hailey Piper. Unfortunately, this one just wasn't for me. I had trouble connecting with the voice and I think the heavy emphasis on sex at the beginning of the novel turned me off a bit -- I felt like I needed more of the mystery and needed to know the protagonist a bit more in order to get into it. However, I would try another of Piper's novels in the future.

I wasn't blown away by this book but still really liked it and the intriguing story line. It felt quite slow-paced for me but I enjoyed the characters and their flaws and trying to figure out where this was going to go.

I will freely admit that I got a little lost in the execution of this at times, but what it comes down to is this: a dead girl is found on the beach by a trans woman in a small town, and it turns out that girl was being imprisoned in her mother's house so that her being trans didn't ruin the local run for politics, and, unexpectedly, some vampires that come to town and fuck with everything. POVs could maybe have been slimmed down a bit, but honestly, Piper clearly leaned into the full small beach town gothic, and it's fun to watch unfold. Look at this one for a nontraditional take on vampires.

Wowowowowow, this is my first Hailey Piper book and I have so many emotions. Everything about this read was so intense - the world is beautiful and harsh and the characters are so alive. It’s been a long time since I’ve read a vampire novel that so thoroughly turned everything on its head. The lore is intense and lush. The ending explosive.
If you’re looking for a story that’s scary in more than just creatures with a little ‘good for her’ trans anger this is the book for you.

I don't really know where to start...I've loved some of Hailey Piper's previous works, most notably, The Worm and his Kings. This just felt off and so different from what I've come to expect from Piper's work, which isn't necessarily a bad thing but this didn't work for me at all.

The prose was far too flowery for my taste and I found it dragged on and on and on. I found myself wanting the chapters to end. It's a rather large read at around 450 pages but it could've had about 250 knocked off it and I think that the pacing would have been far better.

For me the book was just all over the place. A real disappointing read!

A prize for gothic horror readers!
Hailey Piper shows yet again that she is masterful in the art of horror writing.
While I, like many readers, were burnt out on vampires years ago, their time has come again for they cannot remain dead. Its not their nature. The same goes for Cabrina Brite. I think the cosmically occult flavor Piper gives this narrative is what makes it really work rather than feel like a rehash of Camilla.
A mix of occult, mystery, and vampires - whats not to love.

Special Thanks to Titan Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

I wanted to really like this book but it was lost on me, the storyline. Great characters though. Idk if I'd recommend a book based on liking the characters, the plot HAS to be good as well.

I really loved the whole queer vampire cat shit going on. In typical Hailey Piper fashion it was weird, gross, and all encompassing. It did run a bit long in some parts but all is forgiven because of the great character development!

This is a tough one to review because there was so much I liked about this one, but I also really struggled to get through it because I didn’t understand so much of it (my never ending struggle with cosmic horror). This was a really unique take on the vampire story which I certainly applaud and had a lot of really interesting things to say about trans identity and how important relationships can be to those who are struggling. This book just felt long, particularly the parts from Ivory’s perspective. These were the sections that really dragged for me. I was super invested in the mystery of what happened to Cabrina and loved following her friends, Xi and Rex, as they try to figure it out and honor her memory (particularly in spite of Cabrina’s horrific politician mother who couldn’t accept Cabrina’s trans identity). These sections were almost too engaging that it made Ivory’s chapters feel really slow. Hailey Piper has such an original voice and a beautiful, lyrical writing style that I can’t completely write this one off despite how long it took me to get through.

A huge thanks to Titan Books and NetGalley for the eARC!

All the Hearts You Eat is a unique novel, one that blends deeply atmospheric themes of unease with visceral, sometimes violent character dynamics. From the very beginning, the central question of, "What happened to Cabrina Brite?" anchors the rocking ship sailing tumultuous seas. In the small town of Cape Morning, Cabrina's body is discovered, and with it, a slew of questions. But, Cabrina begins to appear to friends and strangers alike, setting into a motion an array of events with unfathomable consequences.

Hailey Piper implements a very distinct style to her writing with the tone of All the Hearts You Eat feeling bleak, isolated, and dark. Perfect for the gothic setup, right? Things are downright eerie thanks to this overarching set piece that affects every character within this story. While I thought I had some idea as to where events were moving, Piper takes us down a cosmically wicked path paved in blood. It's intense, it's violent, and it's full of terror.

Thank you so much to Titan Books for the ARC of All the Hearts You Eat & Libro.FM for the ALC!

I strongly believe there’s a Hailey Piper book for everyone. She’s taken on demons, Halloween slashers, vagina monsters, vampires & more in her works! & I’m always impressed by her writing.

I absolutely adored the characters in All of the Hearts You Eat but the story itself isn’t one that worked for me. With there being a Hailey Piper book for everyone, I also feel that maybe a reader wouldn’t necessarily love every book by her, depending on tropes, subgenre, etc. — & that’s a good thing because it shows Piper got range in her writing & books. We love to see it.

If you’re into vampires or coastal settings, then definitely give this one a try!

This isn’t your typical vampire novel – Piper brings new lore and a fresh take to the undead and I’m here for it. It’s visceral and raw as it explores the theme of identity. Cape Morning is a small island with not many residents. Tourists flock the island during the summer months, but in the winter the island is less populated. Ivory is a trans woman who lives by the sea, and one morning after swimming sees the body of Cabrina Brite. She soon finds herself enthralled by the mystery of what exactly happened to Cabrina and what caused her to die. The mystery is well done and what kept my interest throughout the novel. I really liked the chapters from Cabrina’s diary. Ivory pushes herself to the brink, endangering herself at times in order to seek out the truth. Then there’s Cabrina’s friends, who, grief-stricken will do anything to find out the mystery that surrounds her death too, even if it means tinkering with the occult.

There’s brutal violence, but told in a way that almost comes across as poetic. I loved how the vampires in this novel were linked to cats and the island Ghost Cat Island. This is a new vibrant take on the vampire lore, and if you love Gothic literature, the gothic vibes are at an all time high in this one. The pages are filled with a brimming rage – but will also break your heart in unexpected ways. A must-read if you love well-rounded characters, diverse horror, atmospheric horror, and can’t get enough of vampires.

*Thank you so much to NetGalley and Titan Books for the digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to NetGalley and Titan Books for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review. 4.25 rounding down to 4 for GoodReads. This was my first full-length Hailey Piper read after reading a variety of her short fiction in various collections. She has been on my radar for so long and I was absolutely thrilled to begin my journey into her longer works. All the Hearts You Eat is a very interesting one to start with. I went into this one thinking it was a ghost story mystery and on some level it is, but it quickly gets so much more cosmic and much more unique. I am not the standard audience for cosmic horror as I typically struggle to connect with horror at that large of a scale. But this book may have convinced me otherwise. I was having an okay time with this one but felt the pacing was a bit slow until about the 60% mark when things turned up a notch. When the cosmic pieces started to come together I wanted to start shouting from the rooftops about this book. The last forty percent were absolutely brilliant!! I have never read anything quite like the horror in this book and Piper manages to take different horror tropes/classics and combine them in such a distinctive way in this one. I struggled before I had all the pieces of the puzzle but once I had them I was floored. I feel like I don't even have to mention the LGBTQIA+ representation in this one but in case you didn't know, yes this book has representation, yes it is important to the story, and yes these characters are masterfully crafted. They are not there to be representation markers or boxes to be checked off, they are there because that is who they are as characters. I cannot wait to read more of Piper's backlist novels while anticipating her new ones.

Sigh - I really wanted to like this one but got about 35% in and had to call it. While I was somewhat interested in the mystery here, there seemed to be so much filler and it felt like it was droning on. I don't know if it is just the headspace I am in or what. I might give this one another go in the future but it just didn't work for me this first go-around.

Thank you to the author, @netgalley and the publisher for this e-ARC.

Emotionally gripping and full of gore, this is a tenderly-written take on the vampire mythos that cleverly utilizes the symbolism and imagery of common vampire stories to draw parallels to the trans and queer experience.

Piper writes authentic, multifaceted characters which are thoroughly enjoyable to read. All the Hearts You Eat was eerie and deliciously weird, turning the sub genre of vampiric fantasy on its head.
At points I found the story slightly disjointed, and couldn't follow the motives of the characters particularly well. Once I'd settled into the fact that this novel was much weirder than I had expected it was somewhat easier to follow, You've really got to ignore the desire to over analyse or relate to some of the decisions and reactions of the characters in the book.