Take Thelma & Louise, a healthy gush of blood and Rachel Harrison's trademark feminist twist, throw it in a blender and out comes SO THIRSTY - a fun, entertaining smoothie ready to quench your craving.

Dreading her birthday, Sloane is surprised by her husband with a cottage weekend getaway with her longtime best friend and troublemaker, Naomi. Sloane is the cautious type, completely content with settling, but Naomi is determined to break her out of her shell and orchestrates a wild night out at a house party with mysterious friends. When things take a chaotic turn, Sloane is forced to face a life that has spun completely out of her control.

Harrison is top notch at writing relatable female main characters with a strong inner voice, witty dialogue and dynamic female friendships. I felt the unconditional love between Sloane and Noami while also feeling completely frustrated with how each one was acting. Basically, this friendship felt real and we get to witness how each character responds to their vulnerabilities and morality all while trying to accept each other. I did want a little bit more punch to the ending- while tension did grow towards the end, I never really felt a stronge sense of anxiety or dread. Overall this was a fast-paced, and entertaining read that is sure to satiate any fans of Harrison's previous novels. 4/5

A little thinky, a little gory, a little more realistic (for a vampire novel, anyway), a lot about love and relationships and friendships. What's life about, have do we navigate it, how do we choose who and what is important? Not something I expected from a vampire novel, but here we are.

Two thirty-something, life-long friends get together for a weekend to reconnect, celebrate a birthday, and relax. One lives a wild rockstar life, the other mundane. It’s no surprise when the wild one secures an invite for them to a house party hosted by an exotic man and his friends. Things get interesting/messy from there!
It’s no secret or surprise that this book is about vampires. But I delighted and surprised by it! In the past I’ve referred to Rachel Harrison’s books as ‘horror light’ because there’s just enough thrills, gore, and scary stuff to make them horror. Her characters, for me, are instantly knowable and interesting, and the settings vivid and memorable. Something about Harrison’s short novels just jive with me!

Rachel Harrison does it again in this story, it had everything that I was looking for from the other books I read. The concept was wonderfully done and had that horror element that I was looking for. I enjoyed the overall feel of the characters and thought they worked with this story. I was never bored when reading this and glad I got to read this. It had everything that I wanted from Rachel Harrison and can't wait for more.

Rachel Harrison making her way through creating poignant horror-comedies featuring standard monster classics is just SO good. First and foremost, I appreciate that the relationship that grounded this novel the most was the friendship between Sloane and Naomi. Despite the romances and flings that surround the two women, it is consistently their friendship and their love for each other that drive both the plot and their character arcs. Sloane is the type of MC that I love. She's a little bit sad, but she knows it. She's a little bit weird, but she knows it. And all she needs to do is finally embrace herself and she can find the happiness that she's been keeping from herself. I was also intrigued by the ways that vampires worked in this novel. Harrison consistently uses monsters to be both literal and metaphorical in her novels, and I really love it. Vampirism includes all the things that it usually is in media -- hedonism, sexual appetite, recklessness, eternal life and chasing a high to stave off boredom and depression. But it also includes indulgence in the things that make you you and the things you desire, courage, found family. In order for Sloane to find herself, she had to die.

When a girl's weekend trip does not go exactly as planned, Sloane and Naomi find themselves thirsting for more than just cocktails and girl bonding. This fast-paced book is full of voracious vampires, forever friends, and violence galore! I drank this book up, and honestly, I'm thirsty for a sequel!

I’m a huge Rachel Harrison fan ever since her debut, The Return. I thought her cult novel, Black Sheep was my favorite…it has been dethroned. So Thirsty is amazing. This is the bestie vampire novel you need in your life. Pick it up if you like complicated relationships, girl’s girl energy, fun vampires you can root for, and also scary vamps that’ll haunt your dreams. Five stars.

im so sad this was a female friendship-centric book 🫠 other than the commentary on themes of being a woman and things changing as you get older, i was so bored except the parts with ms. alice & the semi-gory tongue scene towards the end. big sigh. another anticipated release BITES the dust

I seriously almost passed out when I got this ARC. I am the hugest fan of Rachel’s work. So Thirsty, to me, is a triumph. Once again, the main character is just so relatable, and I’ve come to enjoy the humor that Rachel uses in all of her writing. The story was great, the characters amazing, the book was just perfect.

This book will be out in September. (I’ll be highly anticipating buying the hard copy of this). Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC of this book. Congrats Rachel! It’s another banger.

After absolutely loving Rachel Harrison’s book “Black Sheep” last year, I was very excited to receive an advanced copy of this one! It absolutely lived up to my expectations.

Harrison is so good at handling themes like Depression in the face of aging, the feeling of having no clue where your life is going, etc. Her books are just so readable. I feel like I’m sitting down with a delicious dessert or a savory snack I haven’t enjoyed in forever. The odd thing is, she doesn’t write in my usual genre, which is straight up bleak and violent horror. Her stuff is a bit more on the light side and closer to women’s fiction. However, much like “Black Sheep,” once the horror kicks in it does go pretty hard in some scenes.

Let’s get this out of the way: I had a tough time with the MC’s best friend, Naomi. I personally would’ve told her to fuck off and worry about her own life. She came across as too impulsive and self-serving for my taste. Plus, given what we learn about Sloane’s backstory I was like, “Naomi is pressuring her WHY, exactly???” And then she just got worse from there. Lol. What a bad bestie. But, she isn’t mine. She’s Sloane’s. And Sloane loves her.

This actually ends up being the biggest strength of the story. Harrison writes a friendship in a way that is funny, frustrating and heartwarming all at once. In other words, it’s endlessly believable. And the love between Naomi and Sloane is the real heart of the book.

It’s no secret that this is also about vampires, and Harrison’s take is a bit unique in some ways. Many of the characteristics she has given her bloodsuckers may not be what you’re expecting. But still, a few of the characters do have that old world, classic charm. Plus, the actual exploits of the MC after the “thirst” becomes an issue are quite wild and interesting and make the vampire angle seem a lot more conflicting. One of the reasons I really like Sloane is because she’s relatable, and she has a conscience.

This novel is a lot more romantic than what I typically tend to read, (not my thing!), and there’s also a bit of spice. (Also not my thing.) Despite all of that, the violence and drama and the dynamic between Sloane and Naomi, while frustrating at times, really drew me in. I was also won over by the other characters that Harrison created for this world, as there was a lot more to them than I initially thought.

“So Thirsty” gradually revealed itself to have a little bit of a “Near Dark” flavor in the best way, but with a feminist twist. Harrison managed to win me over again. I especially loved the ending, and the imagery and the set pieces involved.

Since I also enjoyed “Black Sheep” so much and I want my sister to read this one I will likely buy a physical copy of both in September when “So Thirsty” releases and then I’ll have both for my physical library!

TW: Depression, Body shaming, Substance abuse, Animal death (off screen), Sexism

Rachel Harrison has done it again, I don't think I've read a book by her that I don't love. This book was no exception.

Harrison has a way with words that meets magic with comedy! WIll def be recommending this to purchase at the library!

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!

You know it's a good book when I already want a sequel. The characters were interesting and compelling, the setting was bleak and realistic, and it had a great mix of humor and gore. Loved it!

“So Thirsty” by Rachel Harrison masterfully blends horror and social commentary to create a gripping and thought-provoking narrative. The story follows Sloane as she grapples with the consequences of prioritizing others’ desires over her own, delving into themes of self-acceptance, resilience, and the search for meaning in a tumultuous world.

Sloane emerges as a deeply relatable character, confronting societal expectations and the fear of losing relevance, a struggle that resonates with many women. Through Sloane’s journey of self-discovery and personal growth, readers witness her internal battles, moments of clarity, and familiar self-doubt. Harrison expertly portrays Sloane’s evolution, exploring the intricacies of identity, desires, and the unwavering pursuit of authenticity, even when it comes with a taste for something… unexpected.

Overall, “So Thirsty” delivers a compelling and unfiltered depiction of a woman’s transformation, interweaving horror elements with profound insights into the human experience. Harrison’s narrative is a blend of frustration and reward, offering readers a vivid and impactful exploration of self-discovery set against the backdrop of a mysterious and thrilling tale.
100% recommended!

Bloody fun and big on friendship. A really delightful romp with both spine-chilling horror moments as well as heart warming scenes of the unique intimacy of female friendships.

Thank you @berkleypub and @netgalley for the eARC of So Thirsty by @rachelharrisonghost in exchange for an honest review!

I will read anything Rachel Harrison writes! This was very Thelma and Louise with a vampire theme. This ended up being a lot darker and deeper than Harrison’s previous novels. Would recommend to anyone interested in the paranormal.

Thank you for the chance to read this one early! This book was not what I was expecting at all! Although I normally love vampire books and crazy stories this one didn’t do it for me. It was very repetitive and nothing huge happened in the plot. I didn’t really like any of the characters and it all was just kind of meh to me.

Going into So Thirsty, I was expecting a lighthearted, Paranormal romance, but this book ended up being a lot darker and deeper than that. I found myself instantly drawn in, and was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed my reading experience. 4 out of 5 stars.

Thank you @berkleypub and @netgalley for the eARC of So Thirsty by @rachelharrisonghost in exchange for an honest review!

📖📖 Book Review 📖📖 Birthdays can be very polarizing day and Sloane is not excited for another year older. As she drives off to her birthday weekend with her bestie, Naomi, she has a sinking pit in the bottom of her stomach. A beautiful winter retreat at a luxury cottage at a resort in the Finger Lakes sounds like a dream but under the pristine image of it all, a quiet unease lurks through the pages. So Thirsty is a delightfully delectable read that takes an absolutely wild and horrifying twist after the girls have a night out with some new friends. Rachel Harrison’s writing is absolutely enchanting, drawing the reader into this tale in an immersive, spellbinding experience. Just like Sloane, I had no idea what I was getting myself into with this book and I simply could not put it down!

Review is posted on Goodreads and will be on Instagram ahead of the publication date!

This book was delicious!! It felt very “Thelma and Louise” with a vampiric edge. Fast-paced, entertaining, dark - very bingeable. I read 80% of the books in one sitting because it’s hard to look away. That’s how compelling it is. Fans of paranormal thrillers or fans of Rachel Harrison will enjoy So Thirsty.

I will pick up anything Rachel Harrison writes. Its hard to create originality with well known paranormal folklore but she pulls it off here and in her other books as well. Her narrating main characters are always super relatable and have enough depth to keep that relatability from becoming superficial. She is also masterful with pacing the story moves and the drama keeps you guessing.