This book is full of viscerally delicious feminine rage.

Lenore has put up with a lot of abuse in her life, so much that she believes it is nothing special. Honestly, that was incredibly hard to read. I wanted her to open her eyes, see herself, finally *do* something about it. And that was exactly the point. I think the reader is supposed to sit with that discomfort, that impotent frustration, until they find that hunger inside, that vindictive rage.

Carmilla (of course) has Big Vampire Energy, though we never explicitly find that out about her. That's okay, it's not that kind of book. She's the catalyst, the mirror of reality, the one who pushes Lenore to confront her truth. She's mysterious and lets Lenore take center stage.

I liked the mystery elements, they all come together great! The baroque style prose is vivid and grand but never overwhelming. I think First person Present worked really well to keep it direct and immediate, balancing out the intricate details of the descriptions.

Overall, I don't think this will be a book for everyone but Kat Dunn clearly knows what she's doing and she's excellent at delivering it. I think so many people are in for a favorite read with this one!

Hungerstone by Kat Dunn
*out 18 February 2025 in the USA*

What is a monster but a creature of agency?

!!! Hungerstone had so many lines that made me think deeply about what I was reading and how I engage with gothic fiction and ultimately stories about feminine rage. This fit what I usually enjoy, so I wasn’t surprised I liked it.

I really enjoyed the overlay with the steel industry and could tell how much research was done around working conditions. I do wish there was more vampire plot points but that wouldn’t have fit as well. I also wish there would have been more development between Carmilla and Lenore. I think there could have been slightly more expansion on the relationship between Lenore and her Aunt Daphne, but that is really coming from my desire to explore the family aspects.

I’m not sure how many Carmilla retellings I’ve read, but I’ve enjoyed all of them so maybe this is a sign I actually read Carmilla. Haha!

Thank you so much to Zando Projects and NetGalley for access to an advance reader copy.

CWs
Graphic: Death, Blood, Gore
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Murder
Minor: Cannibalism, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Zando Publishing, for letting me read an eARC of this book! This book is set to release February 18, 2025.

This book follows our dearest housewife Lenore as her and her husband move to the country, away from city life. They are well established in society as a wealthy couple, but are planning to make themselves known in the countryside as well. Most of the story is following Lenore as she dictates to construction workers how to renovate the house, as well as planning for this big event that her and her husband are hosting.

As they head into the countryside, on their first day to the new house, they rescue Carmilla from a carriage accident. Carmilla is a bit strange & seemingly unfit to travel back home so she is prescribed to stay with Lenore until she is better. Lenore instantly feels this pull towards Carmilla, but tries to deny it as things begin to unravel.

This book was so poignantly told. There are many beautiful lines in this book, and the writing style really adds to the eerie atmosphere. It also lends itself well to the kind of uppity, well to do lifestyle that Lenore leads, as the writing is a bit posh in a few ways. There are lush descriptions, but do not be fooled as this is not a fun happy go lucky story. It’s quite dark, and follows Lenore’s hunger for more.

I absolutely adored this book. The beginning was a little slower than I was expecting but it really set the scene for us before things went awry. I’m giving this more like a 4.25⭐️ rather than a 4. I highly recommend you pick this one up!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC! All opinions are my own.

Sapphic vampire stories have a special place in my heart. I knew immediately that I would love a good Carmilla retelling. Why do I love Carmilla retellings? Because a great one always spins the original message of Carmilla on its head. A cautionary tale of queerness is gutted and decimated completely, then brilliantly turned into an empowering narrative of womanhood, queerness and feminism.

Take that, Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu.

Hungerstone does not fall flat on delivering that empowering narrative. You can expect some fulfilling “good for her” moments.

My only critique is that some of the characters fell a bit flat for me. The middle was a bit lagged but the last bits of the book really drove it home.

There are so many quotes I wish I could pull surrounding appetite and the hunger for life—the idea that women have for so long lived half lives to better bring satiation to the men they are bound to. Carmilla is a delicious, satisfying character; as she put it, a mirror for those who need it, even though she spends more time in the main character’s head than she does on the page. I also loved the symbolism of the title and appearance of the hungerstone, as it reflects both the history and strife of the region as well as what Lenore is experiencing in the moment before accepting her desire.

This story would probably be deeply enjoyable to readers of other gothic retellings: What Moves the Dead and Frankissstein both come to mind.

Thank you to Zando Projects for the opportunity to read and review!

So many things aligned perfectly for me to read and fall in love with this book; namely, my cycle starting and finishing in the same time it took me to finish this. A book about carnal hunger and all of the ways the patriarchy demands women and femmes shut those hungers down, Hungerstone, demands that you allow yourself to want. Lenore has buried her wants so deep inside herself that at first she believes she is empty of wants. She's been relegated to the crumbling countryside manor her husband purchased, trapped in a loveless, sexless, secret-filled marriage, and expected to fix the house in time for a hunting party.

An expected house guest comes in the form Carmilla, a woman rescued from a carriage crash on the outskirts of town, who doesn't seem to have any knowledge of her life prior to the crash. She's haunting and strange and Lenore quite frankly doesn't know what to do with her. Carmilla becomes the person who most pushes Lenore to want; she wrecks much havoc on the household and brings about much carnal signs during her time there.

Hungerstone is a wonderfully written retelling of Carmilla. Kat Dunn destroyed me in so many ways throughout the book. I'm sure I will return to this at many points in my life to remind myself that it's okay to want, that the carnal urge inside needs to be fed before it gets to late.

This novel made me uneasy in the best way. It was fraught with suspense and I always felt on edge. The relationships were full of tension and felt absolutely authentic, and twists and turns the author employed were superb. This entire book was so frightening and exciting at the same time that I almost read it in one sitting!

Hunger Stone is slow-paced, and normally, I’m not a fan of books that take their time unfolding. But in this case, the dreary, oppressive atmosphere suited the story perfectly. The author does a fantastic job setting the scene, making every moment feel heavy with unease. I do wish the story had leaned further into its brutality—though that’s probably just the horror lover in me craving something darker. One thing the book absolutely nails is making you feel strong emotions toward its characters. Cora? Absolutely insufferable (gag). And while I liked Carmilla, I wanted her to have a more intense, commanding presence. Still, despite these minor gripes, I enjoyed the experience overall!

I seriously loved this book so much! As a rule I will deeply enjoy anything that is related to vampires or Dracula/Nosferatu in some way, and this was no exception. It was even more intriguing for me because this is actually a rework of the classic Carmilla (the one that inspired Dracula) and I think it might have actually been better than the original.

I think it was a lot more elevated than some people might give it credit for being, and that It felt more like an adult piece of fiction than anything else. All of the characters were older, well cemented into their adult years and fully living their lives before things noticeably start to go downhill. For me, this was a much better take than the main characters being naive to the world around them, as it just felt a lot more real, had an intense amount of depth, and truly helped me to connect to the characters.

I also really really really liked how the ‘vampire’ was represented and portrayed here too!
Yes there are actual vampires present throughout the whole novel, but not just in character but also, and this might not make too much sense, in the way that the narrative was told. Somehow I think the vampirism also came across as a feeling/state of mind, and representation, rather than solely being a stereotypical character with vampiric qualities (whose whole entire personality and character is being a vampire)
There was just so much more to Camilla’s character than just being what she is, you can clearly see the human side of her showing throughout the book, only to be replaced and overshadowed by this other side of her.

The relationship between Lenore and Carmilla was simply Devine. Without giving anything away Lenore is stuck in a fruitless marriage to a man she can no longer stand, wanting nothing more than to be free of him and societies expectations. Carmilla comes onto the scene seemingly by accident after being helped by Lenore and her husband. Camilla’s presence in their life begins to slowly change the dynamic between the married couple, with Lenore beginning to realise what it is that she truly wants.

Truly a well executed novel that I devoured and couldn’t get enough of!

Really interesting reworking of Carmilla. The characters being older than the 19 year old Laura and Carmilla was a great touch as it added depth to their experiences and cemented the novel as an adult rather than YA piece of fiction. This book dealt with vampirism as more of a metaphor than an actual threat, with Carmilla’s supernatural abilities being second to the main plot line. This is more of a historical fiction than a supernatural or horror novel. Without the name Carmilla being attached I would not consider this a vampire story. However, using Carmilla’s presence in Lenore’s life as a disruption, an awakening, and a hunger is an interesting way of reworking her purpose in the original.

Excellent retelling of Carmilla, following the POV of Lenore who has lived under society's expectation of her and her husband's mediocracy for 10 years. Carmilla arrives to the scene and upends everything Lenore has carefully curated, and Lenore is faced with asking herself what *she* truly wants. Overall a fast and enjoyable read with a superb gothic tone, I woke up every day this week excited to read more of this story. Overall, I definitely recommend if you're looking for a sapphic vampire tale.

Some content notes to be aware of: Blood, body horror, gore, domestic abuse, and sexism.

A huge thank you to Zando Projects for a copy of an eARC in exchange for my thoughts, and to Colleen for buddy reading this with me <3

This book was such a beautiful read, I loved Carmilla so was very happy to read this. It was so well executed overall.

Hungerstone is an atmospheric, gothic and addictive story inspired by Carmilla (Sheridan Le Fanu) and it was fantastic. I couldn't put this down, and even at the end I was left wanting more. This is an excellent story of female rage, subverting societal and gender expectations and about revenge, set against the backdrop of the Industrial Revolution.

"To be a woman is a horror I can little comprehend".

We follow Lenore Crowther stuck in a loveless, childless marriage she longs to be free from once she discovers her own desires and opens her eyes to her husband's ambitions and violence.The story begins when Lenore and Henry head to Nethershaw to make preparations for a shooting party with some of the most important people in society, Lenore is expected to make arrangements to refurbish the grand, yet crumbling, manor house.

On the way to the eerie moors and approaching the manor, the main characters come across a shocking scene involving a carriage accident, whereby they meet Carmilla, a mysterious yet alluring woman who ends up recovering from the ordeal at Nethershaw. Carmilla's company at the manor is both unsettling and comfortable to Lenore, where she slowly opens her eyes to what she really wants, and what she hungers for outside of what is expected of her. Once she gains more agency, we watch Lenore fall into insanity where she finds that nothing can satiate her.

"But Carmilla was right. I was dead, I have been dead for so many years".

Carmilla forces Lenore to accept some harsh truths about her life, the identity she has lost, or pushed down.

"Whatever scaffolding I have constructed to hold my life up cannot disguise that I lie in ruins".

I adored the gothic setting, the anticipation, the tension. Everything about this was excellent in my opinion. My only negative comment would be that I wanted to know more about Carmilla; she was so mysterious and dipped in and out of the story rather than being the focus.

I highly recommend this incredibly atmospheric, sapphic and intense novel. However, if you are looking for a heavy emphasis on vampires, you probably won't be satisfied with this - it is more about female rage, power and desire, It was perfect!

Thank you to Netgalley for the arc!

This book was so beautifully written and that cover!!!

I feel like I always say this after I finish a book like this but; 2025 is the year for feminine rage reads!
Give me ALL the dark gothic sapphic books!!

Beautifully written! I have not read Carmilla so I cannot bring a comparison. This novel was hauntingly sad and hopeful. Lenore is a tragic example of every historical woman bound by tradition but struck with a longing for something more. Henry is an outward prize who hides his evil behind closed doors. Cora has the same fated future but with child-like acceptance. And Carmilla! She is the fierce and powerful wisewoman that each of us wishes to tease out of ourselves. This story will stay with me.

not pun intended, but i devoured this.

a carmilla reimagining, that dives deeper into laura/lenore's mind and gives it an excellent and interesting twist. bc laura is not a lonely teenager, here lenore is a grown woman who shut down herself as a self defence mechanism but shes so so so tired. while her experience is not, her feelings are very much relatable in more than one occasion and i just feel like the author did a really great job in portraying them in general. the prose of the novel was excellent and the gothic atmosphere is so well executed.

i loved the last third of this book so much, i just /wanted/ to keep reading.

thank you so much to NetGalley and Zando for the ARC!

Such a fun read! I loved how immersive it was and the characters made this! This is a retelling of Carmilla and I loved how the book balanced between retelling and making the story its own. "Torn between regaining her husband’s affection and the desire Carmilla’s presence awakens in her, Lenore begins to unravel her past. Her search leads her to uncover a darkness in her household that’s set on destroying her." Desire, accepting that desire, and acting on it are the thesis here and this book delivers in a way I wasn't expecting. I loved the ending and the build up to it! At times I did feel it was a bit repetative but it did build anticipation. Overall, I really enjoyed this and can't wait to read more by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and Zando for the arc!

Full review will be on halfextinguishedthoughts.com

"I really thought you weren't like other women. I was wrong. You're worse."

"I am hungry and here is the man who has starved me for years."

Thank you to NetGalley and Zando for the e-ARC.

4.5 stars

I really enjoyed this story. It seems like feminine horror is really having a moment right now and this book fits solidly with other greats. Lenore is a married, noble woman in the late 1800's. She does as her husband demands and makes him look good in the process. Except, after awhile she is rightfully sick of his shit.

I loved her slow descent into her madness. I enjoyed the tension created by her fighting her nature and her pull to Carmilla. When she finally let go, it was as if the story was taking a deep breath itself.

The heat and chemistry between Lenore and Carmilla was intoxicating. Lenore's methodical approach to her husbands demise was masterful. All I have to say is put in the same position, I wouldn't have acted any different.

My only issue with this story was the pacing. I wanted more nuance into her descent whereas her background and history were where the story focused. It got great around the 70% mark but I would've loved if that had occured sooner.

Thank you NetGalley, Kat Dunn and Zando for this ARC,



Hungerstone had an interesting premise and a beautiful cover, but the execution fell flat for me. The book was uneventful and predictable, the characters were…there, I guess, I neither liked or disliked any of them.

Also, it bears notice that although Hungerstone is a Carmilla retelling of sorts, Carmilla is hardly there. She comes, wreaks havoc, and goes away again; her character reminds me of a diaphanous curtain blowing in the wind, or a sapphic manic pixie dream girl. She serves as an instigator, and nothing more; and, oh, don’t get me started on Lenore. Lenore, our protagonist, spends her entire life (prior the book) thinking “oh, I’m so weak and meek”, then comes Carmilla saying “ Nah, girl, you are angry and powerful. Fight back”, and Lenore is like “Yeah, smash the patriarchy that kept me in chains!”, there's no natural progression.

Another thing is that this book falls victim to one of my least favorite tropes, like: She’s crazy, but not really (but actually she is). Lenore is so certain that she has everything figured out, just so that, at the last minute, the rug is pulled from under her yet again but, I couldn’t care less, because this yo-yo of “is she, isn’t she?” just made me not care about her. Plus, it did not help her case that she adopted a emo/edgelord attitude about things after meeting Carmilla that was very cringy, in my opinion. In addition, the relationship between Lenore and Carmilla is superficial, there’s no real connection there (again, imo); a bond was formed, yes, but why? Carmilla only pushed Lenore to do things and talked in riddles. Moreover, if I didn’t see Carmilla interacting with other characters, I would say that she’s actually a figment of Laura’s imagination.

To wrap it up, the character of Cora seems to exist just to make Lenore doubt herself, no more, no less. I agree that Cora’s behaviour was indeed really sketchy; she was naive and a tad self-serving, there was no need to keep things from Lenore, but still, she could have been a real friend to our protagonist. Cora’s death wasn’t really the #girlboss move that Lenore thought it would be, or a relief from the torment of not knowing, it was just sad, because Cora wasn’t really the problem, Henry was.

I went in with the best intentions but left feeling underwhelmed.🥺
- I usually love gothic horror, female rage, and vampire stories, but I felt disconnected from the plot, characters, and overall trajectory of this. I haven’t read Carmilla, so I can’t say how well it mirrors the original, but on its own, the writing felt too simplistic, with long stretches where nothing significant happened. For me, that only works if the narrative goes into poetic introspection, vivid atmosphere &/ moving characterization. I didn’t feel it did that much & the pacing dragged.
- Everything felt lackluster, with sprinkles of personality, making it hard to stay engaged.
- I needed MORE DEPTH & lyricism…less repetition of the same surface level points to fully buy into this.