Gah I just love this series so much! Even though this novella takes place in a larger series (Strange New World next!), I feel like it is able to exist as a stand-alone, and would be a good introduction to the series. As always, the novel was heartwarming and wholesome, and full of the sweet found family dynamic I love so much. (I had to knock it down a star for the lack of Fastitocalon lmao)

Bitter Waters easily took the spot on top novella so far this year for me! Wow, Shaw packed a punch in this little story. She stuck with the main characters in the Dr. Greta Helsing novels, and I appreciated visiting these people more in-depth. I feel like this novella allowed the readers to gain a deeper understanding of Ruthven's, Grisaille's, and Varney's background. What Shaw does well is bringing up vampire literature when referencing her characters. She explores a lot of the classical gothic literature surrounding vampire lore, and Dracula even makes a cameo.

This novella explores how the group reacts after a young child is turned into a vampire against her will. Seeing how each character reacts to these events gave me a better understanding of who they are as a character and their role in the series.

While this novella isn't necessary to read in order to pick up Strange New World, I highly recommend giving it a go. I ended up reading Bitter Waters after Strange New World, but I do recommend reading it after Grave Importance.

Truly appreciate Orbit for putting these books on my radar and for the e-book of this novella. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

First off, this cover intrigued me! A story about a child being turned into a vampire, anyone who knows basic decency would know how terrible it is! What took me time to get into the story, or just have an understanding of it, it's in modern times. Modern words, modern phrases coming out of Dracula's mouth was startling. Maybe if based in the past I would have enjoyed it more. Solid 3.



Thank you Orbit and NetGalley for this arc. All opinions are my own.

#arc #Orbit #Netgalley

I didn't realize this was not the first volume but when I was into a few chapters of the last one and knew this is a series that is worth reading from the start. I will be collecting these before I compromise to a full review, but from the writing style, wacky defiance of hell and heaven spending time together on a joirney to study their allergy, it sounds really promising one. Plus Dr. Helsing is a great character.
Will update this one before posting to.socialedia, as I get the audios slowly.

Excelent novella. Dr Greta Helsing provides a unique perspective to supernatural characters. Great introduction to yyhw Wights. Cant wait to read more of this series.

This was the most delightful little surprise of a book!

Greta Helsing isn't just any doctor- she's a doctor tot he undead! When she discovers a new child vampire, she's determined to understand the mystery that unfolds in front of her.

BITTER WATERS was such a sweet, emotional, and fully of compassion. The book is full of supernatural characters, but what really makes it unique is how much love and generosity there is in this world. The whole setting is one of fantasy- I never really knew what to expect with each turn of the plot. It kept me wanting to read the story just to see where it went.

The characters are amazing- you can't help but to fall in love with Greta with each chapter. Vivian Shaw's writing is credited with this. It was just a cozy book to read, even with heavier plot points.

A perfect little story to connect the events of Grave Importance to move towards Strange New World, this novella gave me everything I love in this series in a small bite-sized portion. I, unfortunately, wound up reading Strange New World before this novella, and while there were some references to this in the book, it was all explained through the text where you wouldn’t lose any understanding.

However! Why would you want to miss this? We are given a glimpse into how Greta has been living at Dark Heart along with a closer look at Dracula, as well as those creatures living on the land. Lucy is a delightful child and we feel for her circumstances, and it was fun to see the foreboding and untouchable Count Dracul and his wife be suddenly inundated with questions from an inquisitive 10 year old - as well as how the wider vampiric society works. We get a closer look into Ruthven and Grisaille’s lives, as well as a glimpse into Ruthven’s inner thoughts and how he became the vampire he is today.

All in all, I think anyone who enjoys these novels will have a blast revisiting these characters in this novella, and be excited to see where the story continues from this point in the next novel.

A huge thank you to the author, NetGalley, and Orbit for providing this digital copy.

Bitter Waters by Vivian Shaw is a novella in the Greta Helsing series about a doctor who treats supernatural beings (a descendant of Abraham Van Helsing of Dracula fame). This rather cozy installment starts off with the tragedy of a child being turned into a vampire, but things swiftly take a turn for the better when the unloved child finds herself among caring strangers, her new vampire kin, who want what’s best for her. Plus there are barrow wights. I very much enjoyed the original trilogy and am looking forward to a new installment in May.

This is the first time I've read a book in the Dr. Greta Helsing series. There have been several previous books in the series but I didn't have any problem following the story, though I have to admit after reading this one, I very much regret that I missed the earlier stories.

In Bitter Waters, a barrow wight shows up at the country home of Greta Helsing and the vampire Varney's home carrying an eleven-year-old victim of a forced vampire turning, Lucy Ashton. Greta and Varney immediately agree to take in the child and care for her as forced turning can be extremely traumatic for the victim. The barrow wight fills them in on how, where, and in what condition she found the child.

Luckily, Lucy is an intelligent and resilient child. She needs a family to help her adjust to her new condition and the perpetrator must be caught and punished. Using what few clues Lucy can provide they relay the information to the people most able to help.

The necessity of caring for Lucy includes teaching her what she needs to know to deal with her new life. Lucy decides she must read every book she can find about vampires. This causes some hilarious scenes with laugh-out-loud moments. If you've read many books in this subgenre, you'll recognize the names of some of the more notorious vampires, some of whom now wish to move forward and forget what they did in their past. The inquisitive youngster brings up what is now an embarrassing past to make lists of traits, behaviors, and talents that makes for some interesting philosophical discussions.

I found the story filled with interesting characters dealing with a young girl who has been through a traumatic experience with caring support and factual information to prepare her for her new reality.

As to what happens to the person who turned her, who got involved in the search, and whether or not it was one rogue vampire or some group is left for the reader to learn. The family Lucy joins may or may not surprise you but the story will entertain you.

I had never read Vivian Shaw, but I received an arc of her novella Bitter Waters. This was an entertaining story and I love all things vampire! I probably should have read her other books in this series to understand the characters and the story, but it was cute!

Thanks to #NetGalley and the publishers for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!

This book is a captivating and immersive read that hooks you from the first page. The writing is beautifully crafted, with vivid descriptions and strong character development that makes the story come alive. The plot is well-paced, balancing moments of tension with quieter, reflective scenes that allow the characters to grow. The themes explored are deep and thought-provoking, resonating long after the final page. Whether it's the emotional depth, the twists and turns of the plot, or the unforgettable characters, this book is a must-read for anyone who enjoys rich, engaging stories. Highly recommended.

Midway through reading this novella, I stopped and requested the first Greta Van Helsing book from my local library. This was not because I was confused (this can very much be read as a stand alone), but because I was finding this found family so endearing, that i knew I would want to be reading more of them.

Imagine if all of the vamp(y/i)res of the classics we grew up fearing were still alive... watching Bake Off... with a 10 year old orphaned girl. This is very much a scene in this delightfully wholesome and cozy novella.

Cozy Vampires

📚✨ If you like your urban fantasy on the lighter side, this is a great choice. It's all about the vampires, but think "cute" more than creepy. 😊 Shaw's Dr. Greta Helsing series is known for its cozy take on the supernatural, and this novella delivers. Greta's back, helping out the vampire community with her doctor skills. It's a fun, easy read that's perfect for when you want some fantasy without the heavy stuff. Fans of the series will love it, and new readers, it's a nice intro to Shaw's style. Give it a try if you're in the mood for something a little different in your urban fantasy!

Many thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with an ARC and allowing me to provide my honest review

This is a completely wonderful little addition to the world of Dr. Greta Helsing! I loved this other books in this series but they are not really required to enjoy this novella. The characters are all explained nicely from Ruthven to Varney, and then the new addition of Lucy, the little girl turned into a vampire. This is nicely contained where there is a search for the culprit and finding a suitable loving home for Lucy (I love that she is a bookworm!). And you get to meet the very famous Dracula himself. This story is full of caring adults (besides the one that did the despicable turning of a little girl) and is a warm and cozy read that is just so much fun!

So, I highly recommend this novella and even more recommend reading the other books in this series because this is a fun world to escape to, full of famous vampires, a caring doctor, and many interesting supernatural creatures!

Bitter Waters is the fourth story in Vivian Shaw's Dr. Greta Hellsing series - her series following Dr. Greta Hellsing, doctor to the Monsters of London (and further in Europe). I'd loved the series, which I thought was a finished trilogy (Strange Practice being book 1, Dreadful Company book 2, Grave Importance book 3), but it turns out to my pleasure that there are two additional stories: this novella and a forthcoming fifth and final book (for now?). For those new to the series, the series follows Greta and a few famous monsters from old time pulp fiction (although less famous than the ones most Americans know) as they deal with supernatural happenings and try to ensure peace and happiness and health for the supernatural world. There are vampires, werewolves, demons, angels, ghouls, mummies and more and well, it's just a really fun and often sweet series.

Bitter Waters is a pretty good example of that, with the story being a simple one at its heart as the cast wrestles about how to handle and treat a not-even 11 year old girl who was turned into a vampire and then abandoned. It winds up being incredibly cute, both for a surprise guest appearance and for how the main cast comes to further their character developments from the prior 3 books and is another reason to recommend this series.


Quick Plot Summary:
Dr. Greta Hellsing and her now husband, the Vampyre Sir Frances Varney, were relaxing in Varney's estate when they are shocked by a surprise guest: a barrow wight holding the body of a small girl, just short of 11 years of age. And to their horror, this isn't a living girl: no, the girl (named Lucy) has clearly been turned into a vampire, the earliest they've ever seen such a thing.

For them and their friends, the situation is an offense like no other, and Varney takes it upon himself to desperately track down the vampire responsible for this heinous act. But more importantly, Greta, Varney, and their friends Ruthven and Grisaille have to figure out how to help this poor child with her new nature...and where she can stay and learn full time. It's a task as difficult as any they've managed before, and it might require some help from another legend of the night.....

Quick Thoughts: Much of what I enjoy about this series is how the perspective of our main protagonist is one of healing and making things better rather than going out and slaying and harming monsters. Bitter Waters is a perfect example of that: in another series, the major plotline here would be the hunt to track down the asshole vampire who would do such a thing as to turn a 10 year old girl and then leave her abandoned there and to punish him for his crimes. While Varney is indeed focused upon that objective here, for the most part this hunt is pushed to the side and resolved off page....it's just not as important to the story being told.

Instead, the story focused upon here is how to deal with a nearly 11 year old girl turned into a vampire and abandoned - a foster girl no less, with nowhere to go. The cast is enormously well meaning, but none of them have ever been parents before or know how to deal with that concept, or how to deal with a girl who is having sudden vampire onset symptoms and may never grow any larger. It's a story made better by how precocious and cute the little girl Lucy is, and Shaw brings in a surprise big name character (who really should've shown up in a prior book) to react to her in ways that are just oh so goddamn cute and adorable and will make you smile.

There's some sideplots here too about Ruthven realizing that he is actually good at being Guardian of London's supernatural beings and coming to deal with his own anxieties, Varney dealing with the satisfaction of being the master of his own land (something he'd not felt in ages), and an older Barrow Wight who needs persuasion to allow Greta to treat him for illness....and they all really work well with this tone to make you smile at the book's happy ending. If you haven't started this series yet, I highly recommend you do so now, as this is another very enjoyable installment.

I believe my lack on enjoyment for this one was purely due to not being the target audience. there definitely is an audience that will love this series, but I, unfortunately, was not one of them, and this was a DNF

"Bitter Waters" is the latest novella in the Dr. Greta Halsing series. In this installment, Greta sets out to find the vampire responsible for turning an 11-year old child.

Despite its short length, this novella is tedious. I found myself skimming through the pages, hoping something interesting would happen. The central mystery is treated as an afterthought, with the characters spending most of their time mentoring the child and searching for a suitable foster home.

Overall, a disappointing read for me, though it may appeal to fans of the series.

Thank you to Netgalley and Orbit Books for sending me an advance copy for review consideration

I don't know if I've ever been more lost, or cared less when reading a story before! This definitely would have been easier had I read the other installments of the story or if I had a deeper knowledge of vampire lore (calling this a standalone isn't accurate IMO). That being said, Shaw's writing style and concise references to occurrences from other stories made this reading experience a complete joy. Other than a few instances of odd repetition across the POVs that pulled me out of the narrative, I loved every minute in every perspective. If you want a taste of a series to "dip your toe" in a world of legendary creatures in a modern setting, I highly recommend this novella as a point of entry. I, of course, now need to go read the rest of the Dr. Helsing series!

**Thank you NetGalley and Orbit for the eARC**

When I was offered the chance to read this novella, it sounded so interesting that I couldn’t pass it up. A new spin on the story of van Helsing and Dracula was like catnip, especially knowing that it is part of a series. Plus, this novella works as a standalone, so it offered a great chance for me to see how I liked the writing style and story before committing to a full-length book. Turns out, I liked it a lot.

I haven’t read any of the books in the series before, so I went into this not knowing any of the characters or the story thus far. We are quickly introduced to Dr. Greta Helsing, who isn’t your traditional medical doctor. She exclusively caters to the paranormal population, although at the beginning of the story, she’s on a little break, staying with Varney and his ward, Emily (a vampire), at his country manor, when a barrow-wight appears with a child who has been attacked and turned into a vampire. Dr. Helsing quickly calls reinforcements, and Ruthann and Grisaille show up to lend a hand.

First of all, I loved the way the author really flipped the narrative as to who the monsters are in the story—while vampires and barrow-wights and other supernatural creatures are usually viewed as the ‘monsters,’ there’s a clear separation of the good guys and the bad guys. Not all vampires or paranormal ‘monsters’ are the bad guys; there are many heroic and moral characters amongst the monsters, and they are on a mission to find the bad guy or guys who have hurt this child and turned her into a vampire significantly earlier than when it’s agreed to be acceptable by supernatural society as a whole.

Despite the short length of the story, I couldn’t help but be amazed at how wonderfully fleshed out the characters were. In addition, the story also felt complete and never rushed. The pace was good and kept me intrigued, and everything wrapped up wonderfully. I loved meeting the characters, especially the little cameo by Dracula himself. After this novella, I’m ready to backtrack and start the series from the beginning to catch up on everything. This is a good novella to try out if you like an unconventional paranormal fantasy, a mystery with quirky and intriguing characters, and a fun spin on the van Helsing story.

My only complaint about this is that it was a short and sweet novella and so it left me feeling homesick for the van helsing crew. I still adore this series and this book is no exception.