4.25 ⭐️

TW: Death, resurrection, gore, bullying, f*g slur, homophobia

For the Evans women, death was a family business. As the Evans women say, “A funeral parlor isn’t all that different beauty salon.” It’s feminine.

This book was a hoot! I loved the narration and commend the narrator for her many voices.
One of my favorite lines in the book is, “Bury me with my brassiere on and I’ll haunt you!” I thought I was going to keel over and die from laughter.

I had two major concerns. There were too many points of view which made the story difficult to follow along in the audiobook. Second, I had confusion over what vampire term we were using and if there were any differences.

Read if you love a spooky storyline, and stay for the humor and twists! I’ll definitely read another book by Lindy Ryan!

From the title I was expecting something different than what I got. It wasn’t as funny as I was hoping for and the lore of the vampires didn’t resonate with me. I love vampire books and unfortunately this one just wasn’t for me. It might be in part to the audiobook which seemed really long and drawn out at 2x speed. If this was the first book in the series then I understand a lot of building so would give a second book a chance.

Bless Your Heart
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Author: Lindy Ryan

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley, Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Synopsis: Rise and shine. The Evans women have some undead to kill.

It’s 1999 in Southeast Texas and the Evans women, owners of the only funeral parlor in town, are keeping steady with…normal business. The dead die, you bury them. End of story. That’s how Ducey Evans has done it for the last eighty years, and her progeny―Lenore the experimenter and Grace, Lenore’s soft-hearted daughter, have run Evans Funeral Parlor for the last fifteen years without drama. Ever since That Godawful Mess that left two bodies in the ground and Grace raising her infant daughter Luna, alone.

But when town gossip Mina Jean Murphy’s body is brought in for a regular burial and she rises from the dead instead, it’s clear that the Strigoi―the original vampire―are back. And the Evans women are the ones who need to fight back to protect their town.

As more folks in town turn up dead and Deputy Roger Taylor begins asking way too many questions, Ducey, Lenore, Grace, and now Luna, must take up their blades and figure out who is behind the Strigoi’s return. As the saying goes, what rises up, must go back down. But as unspoken secrets and revelations spill from the past into the present, the Evans family must face that sometimes, the dead aren’t the only things you want to keep buried.

My Thoughts: This was a mystery spun with horror and splash of fantasy blended in. This is the first book in the Bless Your Heart series. The story takes place in 1999 in Texas. The Evans women (Ducey, Lenore, Grace, Luna - four generations) run the only funeral home in town. They have placed a lot of bodies in the ground, sometimes more than once. The Strigoi, vampire who wants control of the town, is back. It is up to the Evans women to fight back and save the town and their funeral home. This follows the trope of cozy mystery with slight humor and horror blended in.

This was a slow burn at first, but a great reading journey. The Evans women are very spunky. The characters were well developed with depth, eccentric-minded, mystery, were witty, and fierce. The author’s writing style was complex, multifaceted, a tad suspenseful (I would love to see more), funny, great world building, and engaging. The paradox between the mystery coziness and the dark (horror) was fabulous, I really enjoyed seeing this combination that I have not seen before. Some of the scenes were quite graphic. Now that does not bother me because I am an 80’s slasher horror movie buff. I loved the vibe of the small town, the ingenuity of incorporating horror elements, and then the Evans family dynamics were well executed.

I had the pleasure of having the digital and audio versions for the ARC, I leaned on the audio more. The narrator, Stephanie Nemeth-Parker was great. She had perfect voice variation that melted into character distinction. Her pitch and flow was excellent, I had no issues listening on 2x speed, was able to keep up. It was like Stephanie was born to narrate this novel, her voice fit perfectly as I imagined. This was a light, fun, mystery with a flare of horror and fantasy (vampires & people rising from the dead). Think Finlay Donovan vampire edition. This was not scary and won’t keep you up at night or give you nightmares. I would love to see more suspense in the next book in the series. I highly recommend picking up the book or audiobook today.

Hello!!

It’s mid-week and I am having another good reading week. I am trying to pick up audiobooks more as I clean, run errands, or do other things so it has led to a great uptick in my reading. Recently I decided I would try to see if I could get an audiobook copy from Netgalley so I could still read the ARC but listen to it on audiobook so I could do all the things that needed to be done. I was able to get my first audiobook E-ARC from Netgalley of Bless Your Heart, an upcoming book about the Evans women and the supernatural. (Thank you so much to the publisher for the E-Audiobook ARC in exchange for my honest opinions).

SPOILERS AHEAD

Three generations of Evans women live in a small town together in Texas, where they run the only funeral parlor in town. Ducey (the grandmother of the family) has lived in this same town and run the parlor for 80 years now, she has run it the exact same way and kept all the secrets of her family and the town under wraps by doing so. She has the help of her daughter and granddaughter (her daughter, Lenore raised her child alone due to a situation that occurred many years ago). Now, Mina Jean, a local resident and well-known town member has passed away in her home. However, Ducey knows when people die in this town they do not always stay dead. Mina Jean’s death is short-lived as she turns into a Strigoi (an OG vampire) and rises from the dead. Now the Evan’s women have a situation on their hands that could turn out very badly for them (especially for Lenore and her daughter Luna).

I loved this book so much! It gave me the vibes of Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires mixed with a fun cozy mystery element. It was such a fun ride to see everything unfold for each of the three women in the Evan’s clan. I will say the ending made me tear up a bit as I absolutely did not expect that. I would love a sequel for this book at some point in the future. In the meantime, this book hits shelves super soon on April 9th, 2024, I definitely recommend picking it up at your bookstore, library, or other places where you like to grab a good read from.

Goodreads Rating: 5 Stars

****Thank you so much to the publisher for the E-Audiobook ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.

#BlessYourHeart:
Thank you so much Minotaur for my gifted copy.

Here’s the thing. I was born in Texas. I live in Georgia. I went to school in Alabama. I have the southern triangle pretty down pat. (There’s a few other states I’ve lived in the south, but let’s stick to the Jorts Triangle okay?) So if you’re going to say you’re going to give me a southern tale, I want a true southern tale. Not a saccharine/caricature of southern tales. I felt it was too hard of Steel Magnolias but more like a Not Another Teen Movie parody of SM (but like Steel Magnolia Vampire Hunters would be boss)

I felt like we had too much butterscotch candy, and not enough character development. Now I love multiple POVs but this was a bit too much for me.

But let’s talk about the good. Holy moly. The horror or deathly descriptions of the undead?! Amazing. It gave me Scream plus Walking Dead vibes. Did I close my eyes like my ears weren’t listening to the darn book? Yes. Lindy, boo, go write supernatural horror and I’m there ASAP. I did feel like once I had the audio it wasn’t as bad on the heavy southern, but still couldn’t keep my attention.

Overall, it genre bends between a cozy and horror? A corror? Hozy? I’d like to see what Lindy Ryan writes next.

Rise and shine. The Evans women have some undead to kill.

This was a DNF for me.

I could not get into this book, even though I really, really wanted to. I heard such mixed things about this book that I wanted to give it a try, but I could not get into this. I think this is why it took me so long to write this review because I wanted to keep trying to finish it.

But I want to make this note: just because I could not get into this, does not mean that it isn't for you. There are so many books that other people have really enjoyed, that I could not stand, and vice versa. Do not let me stop you from trying this book if the premise sounds good to you!

Title: Bless Your Heart (audio)
Author: Lindy Ryan
Genre: Fiction, mystery
Rating: 4 out of 5

Rise and shine. The Evans women have some undead to kill.

It’s 1999 in Southeast Texas and the Evans women, owners of the only funeral parlor in town, are keeping steady with…normal business. The dead die, you bury them. End of story. That’s how Ducey Evans has done it for the last eighty years, and her progeny―Lenore the experimenter and Grace, Lenore’s soft-hearted daughter, have run Evans Funeral Parlor for the last fifteen years without drama. Ever since That Godawful Mess that left two bodies in the ground and Grace raising her infant daughter Luna, alone.

But when town gossip Mina Jean Murphy’s body is brought in for a regular burial and she rises from the dead instead, it’s clear that the Strigoi―the original vampire―are back. And the Evans women are the ones who need to fight back to protect their town.

As more folks in town turn up dead and Deputy Roger Taylor begins asking way too many questions, Ducey, Lenore, Grace, and now Luna, must take up their blades and figure out who is behind the Strigoi’s return. As the saying goes, what rises up, must go back down. But as unspoken secrets and revelations spill from the past into the present, the Evans family must face that sometimes, the dead aren’t the only things you want to keep buried.

As hard as it is for me to call this historical fiction, it did feel like that, and historical fiction in small-town Texas, which is my own history. This felt like a cozy mystery, but it was really bloody, too. Like, really bloody. I enjoyed the audiobook and thought the narrator did a great job on style with this read.

Lindy Ryan is a professor at Rutgers University. Bless Your Heart is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of MacMillan Audio in exchange for an honest review.)

"Bless Your Heart" by Lindy Ryan takes readers on a thrilling journey through the small town of Southeast Texas, where the Evans women run the Evans Funeral Parlor and safeguard the town from restless undead spirits. This multigenerational tale weaves together family dynamics, small-town charm, and horror elements in a refreshingly unique narrative.

Ryan's writing captivates from the start, with engaging prose and a plot that keeps readers eagerly turning pages. Despite the familiar premise of the undead rising, "Bless Your Heart" offers a fresh perspective, delivering a blend of cozy atmosphere and dark, graphic scenes that create a compelling contrast.

The strength of the story lies in its characters, particularly the spunky Evans women who charm readers with their banter and resilience. As the first book in a new series, it sets the stage for further exploration of the town's mysteries and the Evans family's adventures.

While "Bless Your Heart" offers light horror elements, it's more entertaining than terrifying, making it an enjoyable read for fans of mysteries and those looking for a dose of fun without the sleepless nights. Overall, Ryan promises an exciting series ahead, leaving readers eager to uncover what lies in store for the Evans women and their community.

Bless Your Heart was interesting listen for sure! Definitely not a book that I would normally pick up. It was a humorous horror mystery novel. The main characters family runs a funeral parlor and she finds out her true families history. The narrator did a great job I thought. Rating of 3 stars is mostly because it really wasn’t my cup of tea. Thank you to NetGalley, McMillion Audio and the author for allowing me to listen and review this audiobook!

3.75 stars! Fun southern vampire book with "bless your heart" humor. I did find it a little difficult to keep up with the different narrators and keep it straight who was talking. But I enjoyed it!

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ARC Audio Copy!

Fun and lighthearted southern horror about vampires. What more can you want.
I really enjoyed this on Audio especially because the narrator did a wonderful job with really putting you in the right environment and feels for this book.

Following the owner/operators family of a funeral home in small town Texas, these are not your typical vampires, but it was a fun and quirky story and I can not wait for the next installment.

What do you get when you mix a cozy mystery, Strigoi (Vampires), with a splash and dab of horror? You get this book. I'm not sure how I feel about this story, but I'm leaning toward being quite entertained. I loved the unique flavor it presented, with a family of funeral workers trying to keep the dead where they belong, but cursed when it comes to love. This leads to some bad decisions that come back to haunt them. The main premise is that lots of strigoi are showing up and the townsfolk are dying in horrific ways. The Evans women must find out why this is happening and who is behind it all. We follow multiple characters, including most of the Evans family, Deputy Roger Taylor, and the victims at their time of death. So, we know everything that's going on, except who the mastermind is. 

The Evans women are sassy, opinionated, and full of love for each other, which makes the horror aspect somewhat less intense. Yes, the deaths are described in detail, but it's quaint because you have a grandma who's ready to murder some dead folk. There's also a coming-of-age story for Luna, the youngest Evans, who's trying to figure out her identity, her likes, and why she's having strange dreams. This book takes us all over the place in the best way possible. You'll cringe at the murders, laugh at the sassy humor, and shed a tear at the sad parts. Overall, this is a unique take on the horror/vampire genre and I'm here for it!"

Bless Your Heart was a fun romp. I loved the "proper lady" theme but mixed with vampires. Well done.

Cozy, hilarious, supernatural, gore, and a good amount of Southern charm, what more could I ask for?

"Bless Your Heart" by Lindy Ryan takes place in a small Southern town where a family of strong women run a funeral parlour. They take care of those who have passed.... and ensure that they don't come back again. All was going well until it isn't, turns out there has been a Strigoi (vampire) attack. Things go from bad to worse when more and more attacks end up happening. But this gives us a chance to learn more about the Evans women and learn more about what they have survived.

This was such an entertaining cozy mystery horror. I loved the characters, but the story was pretty slow. Nonetheless I'm excited to see what else Lindy Ryan has in store for us.

Thank you to Lindy Ryan, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the audio-digital ARC provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

A small Southern town where the Evans women's job is to kill the undead. They own a funeral parlor and have had no problems over the last few years, that is until a local woman dies and is raised from the dead. To their shocking surprise, Strigoi the original vampires are back.
This was a fun mystery horror novel. The characters have southern wit that is fun and woven in with the dark grim vampire lore. I liked the idea of this being a women-run funeral parlor for keeping vampires under-wrapped. There was much more description of blood, guts, and gore than what I was expecting. There are a lot of points of view. I can see and understand why some people may not enjoy this, it's slow, and there is a huge play on Southern etiquette. I listen to the audiobook so that may have helped the joyment and fun I had. This is a standard, fine vampire mystery that would make for a nice spring day read.

I'm here for all the various takes on vampire novels and this cozy mystery was hilarious and really fun. I think Stephanie Németh-Parker nailed the tone of this book with her narration as well.
Thank you so much to Macmillan Audio for the ALC!

I can not tell you when the last time I enjoyed a " horror " book more than I enjoyed Bless Your Heart by Lindy Ryan.

When I sat horror, I say it loosely, sure it has vampires, and murder, and morticians, and all that other creepy stuff, but more importantly, it has laughs, this is a fun horror story and I could not get enough of it.
Being a Southerner I love any book that has a Southern voice. Those voices, many times, are women and Bless Your Heart is no different. It takes place in a small southeast Texas town ( to be honest, more than half my family live in East Texas, and I read the whole book in their thick accent ) Also, I listened to it part time also, the narrator was a great reader and help make the audio.

The Evan's women Ducey, Lenore, Grace and teenage Luna, own the towns only funeral parlor. Soon people start dying and they realize they are rising, this is where the fun begins.

There is a lot to like about this story besides the vampires . The women in the book are strong and the family is dynamic, the characters are likable and humorous. There are times when I think it could have had more mystery and suspense , but the dark was there, lurking underneath all the fun.

This is so fun, I recommend it to anyone who wants a quick and enjoyable read.

P.S.-- Bless Your Heart is the first of a new series and even me, a non series reader can't wait for the next one!

Is cozy horror a thing because that is where this book belongs? This is definitely more slow moving and character driven. Each chapter is narrated by a different character which got a bit confusing at times. The reveal of the big bad was not surprising and a bit of a let down. It felt like we needed more pages here and less earlier about conflicts that were superfluous. Overall, I did enjoy it and I thought the audiobook narrator did a good job.

This was a fun read and gruesome and I can't wait for the next book in the series to come out! This was my 1st book by Lindy Ryan, but it will not be my last. I am adding all of her books to my TBR and anxiously waiting for the next book in this series! I want to know how Luna takes to the family business.

Lindy Ryan's Bless Your Heart combines horror, humor, and mystery in a delightful story of Strigoi infiltrating a small Southern town. The perspective shifts from Luna to her mother, grandmother, and great grandmother. Four generations of women hard at work protecting the town from an enemy most townspeople don't even know exists. Luna learns of her part in the story late in her teens-at a time when the dead have started to wake. This is a quick read that I highly recommend to anyone who enjoys vampire fiction. The ending is full of twists and I couldn't put it down.