I was so excited to receive this arc and dive back into Greta Helsing’s world! Getting to see Ruthven and Varney again made me so happy, although I am a bit sad Fastitocalon (my favorite character of the main series) was mentioned only in passing. But I can get over that because the rest of this novella was so good. It’s fast paced and keeps you engaged throughout. The main plot of the character’s attempting to solve who attacked and turned an eleven-year-old child I found to be very intriguing. Watching Greta, Ruthven, Varney and Grisaille band together without a second thought to care for a child who turned up on their doorstep and make her feel safe and welcome was so moving. Plus, a Dracula cameo?! Absolutely loved that addition to the story and getting to see a softer side to him. I also enjoyed the side plot with the barrow wights, I’m a sucker for grumpy characters and Hrafn is just that.

The way Vivian Shaw takes creatures that are typically terrifying and turns them into creatures who have everyday issues like arthritis and colds just like the rest of us is lovely. I’m unsurprised that I loved this book just as much I did the others. If you want a cozy, low stakes fantasy with incredibly lovable characters I highly recommend reading Bitter Waters! Thank you to Orbit for providing an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to Orbit, for once again choosing me to read another awesome story!

I need to be honest and let you all know that I had not read any of the Greta Helsing books before receiving this arc. I have been on an extremely long wait list at my local library. (I live on an island and it’s limited) and yet this story was still intriguing and not confusing to follow! I absolutely enjoyed the atmosphere and the characters were so believable I devoured this in one setting!! I can not wait to read this entire series!!

This book is part of Shaw's Dr. Greta Helsing series. I have only read the first book in this series, but enjoyed it. (The others are hard to find.) Helsing is a doctor for the to the undead and other creatures that hunt the night (or chill in barrows or screech death omens or how at the moon). 

In Bitter Waters, Dr.  Greta Helsing, is attempting to spend some quiet time in the country with her husband Varney (the Vampyre) when a barrow wight turns up with a recently turned vampire. A recently turned eleven year old vampire named Lucy. (Turning a kid is something at happens only with extreme rarity in this setting and is completely horrifying to many of the vampire community. This would include Dr. Helsing's husband and their entire friend circle.)

This leads to an attempt to find Lucy's attacker while helping Lucy to adjust to being a vampire. We mostly get Lucy's adjustments and emotional arc because this is a very "cosy" storyline, where a lot of the investigation happens offscreen and the case ascends several levels past our protagonists wheelhouse when Dracula takes an interest. (In this setting, Dracula is something of a community leader among vampires, or a leader of various vampire communities connected by a network of agents throughout Europe who report to him.)

Cosiness Factors:

Incredibly embarrassed vampires who are embarrassed because an eleven year old child is reading extremely embarrassing books about them. (Not Dracula. Dracula is too old to care. Ruthven, the vampire in John William Polidori's "The Vampyre," is filled with embarrassment and anxiety.)

Stress-baking vampires. (This is still Ruthven.)

The necessity of explaining that what happened in the books and what actually happened are two different things to a child who is taking notes while she reads about the fictional version of vampires she's living with or has encountered.

The levels of caring each of the vampires in Dr. Helsing's friend circle have for the books that were written about them.

Everyone worrying about the kid, taking care of the kid and generally fussing over the kid. Who it turns out, was in foster care, being shuffled from one crappy home to the next. (Extremely authoritarian and restrictive of most of Lucy's activities, but also extremely neglectful.) Everyone is outraged that she wasn't allowed to read as much as she wanted. This is of course a valid take.

An elderly barrow wight with arthritis and a lung infection due to extremely nasty barrow conditions he refuses to fix. There is a very minor plot arc where Greta's husband has to talk the barrow wight into letting Greta do a consultation. (Because Varney owns the land the barrow is on.)

The recurring theme of "just people" that extends from barrow wights to the various vampires, including Dracula.

This novella is a quick read, and I found it to be very engaging. This is a great addition to the series and I enjoyed it a great deal. (I definitely want to re-read the first book, and read the other books in the series.)

This review was based on a galley received from NetGalley.

It was absolutely wonderful to be back in the Greta Helsing universe! I’ve missed this series so much! I really enjoyed seeing how the characters have progressed in their interpersonal relationships and as people in general—so many of the characters have come such a long way. I loved Greta and Varney’s marital dynamic—they complement each other so well. Ruthven’s journey throughout this novella was so heartfelt. Seeing him some to terms with feelings of inadequacy regarding his staggering responsibilities as the protector of London was so interesting. I also loved the introduction of Dracula as a character!

Overall, I loved pretty much everything about this novella, and I hope that Shaw continues to add to this series!

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Bitter Waters by Vivian Shaw is a contemporary fantasy novella following a small group of vampires. When a recently turned vampire, Lucy, is discovered, the group takes her in and teaches her about being a vampire. But Lucy is only ten years old, causing concern among them.

Lucy is a very cute and charming young girl who has a strong appetite for reading and knowledge, going so far as to read in the middle of the night as many vampire books as she can find. Through her, there’s an integration of some pop culture references, but not many. Many of the vampires who meet her quickly grow fond of her.

What I really liked was the integration of various aspects of vampire lore. Varney, Dracula, a descendant of Van Helsing, Carmilla, all play a part in the story. Varney and Greta Helsing are in a relationship with Greta running a clinic for supernatural beings and Varney assisting in the education of Lucy. Dracula later comes to assist Lucy and use the powers of enthralling others to get information from her about who turned her.

This was my first of the Greta Helsing novellas and I wasn’t lost at all. Many things seemed fairly easy to understand from context and my background knowledge of various vampire lore assists in filling in some blanks that might have been filled through previous novellas.

I would recommend this to fans of vampires, readers looking for a short contemporary fantasy featuring classic monsters, and those looking to try out the Greta Helsing novellas.

This is a short novella in the Dr. Greta Helsing world about a young child who is turned into a vampire and the resulting attempt to help her adjust and find a home. The characters are the real reason to read this novella so I would not recommend it to anyone who has not read the first three books. They are great and I recommend them for anyone who likes slightly quirky urban fantasy with a lot of vampires and good character development. Unlike the previous three books, this was a more “cozy” book with most of the action occurring off page. However, that worked is such a short book with the focus on the welfare of the child. Also, it seemed to promise more Greta Helsing in the future, which always makes me happy. I wanted a slightly different ending as I was less emotionally invested in the new characters but that may be personal preference. Altogether a lovely short book with some favorite characters and a sweet ending.

This was a great novella in the Dr. Greta Helsing series worked in this world. I was hooked from the story and characters and thought the use of vampires worked with this. It had a great concept and that the characters were what I wanted from this type of book. Vivian Shaw always does a great job in writing this and can’t wait for more.

I adore the Greta Helsing books, and this was a treat to find on NetGalley! I love seeing the character development that Shaw set up in the very first book for both Varney and Ruthven, while Greta takes a little more of a back seat in this story. Instead, we see our favorite doctor in an unflappable role, taking on new challenges with aplomb.

Set in modern-day London (and Varney's estate), Shaw's books are a delightful addition to the Urban fantasy genre. While this novella had a touch of the Regency with its Lord-of-the-estate subplot for Varney, it also takes time to dip into the exciting rush of London. I enjoyed the story Shaw spun, with a new threat to tackle as well as a charming new character who draws the actual Dracula further into the story.

I just love these books and I can't wait for more from Shaw!

Please note, I received a free copy of this ebook to review; all opinions are my own.

The idea of a doctor for the dead sounded cool. I figured I’d start with this novella and see if I wanted to read the rest. I’m not sure if they are all so much about vampires. Im still having a hard time with the vampire come back after it was so beaten to death in my early reading years. I just didn’t vibe with it because of that. If you like vampires it would be a cool little story though!

Thank you to Orbit and NetGalley for providing an eARC of this book.

Let me start by saying I have not read the original Dr. Greta Helsing trilogy. This book is marketed as a standalone novella, and I am happy to report that it actually is. There are definitely spoilers for and nods to the original trilogy, but this book is enjoyable on its own. The writing, characters, worldbuilding, and plot are all strong enough to stand on their own.

I loved this book. It was the perfect mix of macabre and cozy. Think The Addams Family with a dash of English aristocracy. It was perfection. Just what I needed, but didn't even know I was looking for. One of my favorite reads of the year so far.

The only con for me was the repetition of certain phrases/words in the writing. For example, everyone kept saying things "wryly" or "drily." It was not enough to truly irritate me, but it's a noticeable quirk. Before the final version comes out, I would recommend Orbit removing a couple of those. There was also an instance where the nickname for Dark Heart House was explained with near identical phrasing only a chapter or two apart.

Otherwise, this was a stellar read and I cannot wait to read the original trilogy now.

GRETA IS BACK! SQUEEE! As a cross between the medical tv show House, the X-files and the urban fantasy series Dresden files, the Dr. Greta Helsing series is one of the most original takes on urban fantasy I've ever read. Unfortunately, as the last book came out in 2019 and it was only a 3 book series, it was also the most depressingly short series I've ever read. So, I can't tell you how much I jumped up and down when I saw this. I am pleased to announce that Greta and co. are just as wonderful as always. I thoroughly enjoyed this and was even more excited that there may be more books in the future.

That said, I do feel that if you haven't read the first three books, you will find this novella kind of lacking. It doesn't have much of a plot-it's more a "how has everyone been doing" kind of tale. So, if you haven't read this series, you should start with Strange Practice, the first book in the series. it's so good, you won't regret it!

If a vampire novella can be sweet, this one fits nicely into that category. Another very pleasant and fun read. I wish this author would write a series of supernatural murder mysteries, and if she did I would buy every single one. Her characters are a delight. Well worth the time!

Going from watching the AMC Interview with the Vampire take on child vampires to the Vivian Shaw take on child vampires is like the hydrogen bomb vs. coughing baby meme except its a feral permateen girlboss drinking her boyfriend vs. a quiet bookish foster kid drinking cups of gently spiced blood tea. Vivian Shaw continues in her tradition of writing cozy fix-it fics about famous literary draculines, this time with the king (Count?) of the genre himself. Despite being somewhat overly saccharine at times, it was cute to watch Greta, Ruthven, Varney, Grisaille & co. support Count Dracula in his journey to becoming an adoptive father. My clinician scientist brain continues to enjoy how excellent Shaw is at framing supernatural beings in medical & psychological terms. Barrow wights with arthritis! Child vampires with complex trauma! Peer-reviewed scientific articles about alternative sources of virgin blood! I'd read a million of these books just for the thrill of the thought exercise. The B-plot of everyone running around trying to figure out the identity of the asshole child-biting vampire was so severely underbaked as to be laughable, but it is clear that Shaw's focus was moreso on the emotional beats than making the plot make sense. Which is fine by me!

Best read if you're familiar with the other Greta Helsing books (it is no burden to make yourself familiar with the Greta Helsing books, so, you know, do that); also, although the story here does stand alone, it's clearly a lead-in to future developments in Vivian Shaw's universe. Soft cliffhanger, let's say. This is not a complaint.

A mere 4 stars because although Shaw has been at pains to set up Lucy's history and personality so as to make it plausible that, at 10 years old, she adapts quickly and happily to her new un-life as a vampire -- well, it's just not that plausible. Which raises entertaining questions of what qualifies as "realism" in a fantasy about vampires, werewolves, and barrow wights, etc. But analogies can be made to any human experience that entails being wrenched out of one's familiar life and into another from which one can never return. Even if that familiar life has, like Lucy's human life, little to recommend it, familiarity counts for a lot.

It's also interesting to consider what makes capital punishment acceptable in fantasy universes when most readers of books like Shaw's are likely to object to it in our own. Something to contemplate another time.

Thanks to NetGalley and Orbit for the ARC.

“Bitter Waters” by Vivian Shaw is only a novella but it has served as a nice introductory foray into Dr. Greta Helsing’s world. I have the first two books in the series but haven’t gotten around to reading them; they have definitely jumped onto the top of my TBR pile. Dr. Helsing specializes in treating supernatural creatures of all sorts. In this story, she cares for a young girl turned before her time and an ancient barrow wight. There are vampires from lore, mentions of numerous past patients, and then Count Dracula. Yes, the main vampire we all know! This is a fascinating novella. It has certainly pulled me into Vivian Shaw’s literary universe.

I have not read any of the other books in this series so this was my first introduction into Greta Helsing's world, and it was a great introduction. There were several elements that I really like about this novella. From the moment I started reading, I was pulled into this world and was eager to return to it every time I had to put the book down. Even without reading the three previous novels, the characters and their relationships were written in such a way that I could feel how much of an accomplishment it was to get to this somewhat peaceful slice-of-life story. The characters were lovable without knowing their backstories because they were described so well that the character development was evident without knowing details. There is a tenderness to all the interactions that feels like they fought to get here.

I will absolutely be reading the other books in the world of Greta Helsing because now I want to know how all of these characters got here and who they were before I met them in this story.

I plan to do a review on my TikTok when the publication date gets closer.

A short visit back to London and Greta Van Helsing's world. All our favorites are back (besides Greta we have Varney, Ruthven, Grisaille, and more) plus some fun new characters (especially a grumpy old barrow wight) and a cameo from Dracula himself. So what happens? One night, Varney and Greta are surprised by a young barrow wight knocking on their door with a child who was just turned into a vampire. The rest of the book involves a little bit of tracking down the perpetrator but mostly turns into a custody decision for the new little vamp. Honestly, this is just a nice little novella featuring decent characters trying to do the right thing, which is basically my favorite book genre.

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novella.

I absolutely loved this Novella! Full of charm and vampires, my favorite things! It was such a. Fun story and had such endearing characters. It was a quick and easy read!

I clicked on this thinking it was a standalone, and I am so so so so happy I was wrong!! I loved this novella, start to finish it was exactly my flavor, and the realization that this was an entire series was one of the most joyous realizations I've had of 2024! I am now reading the whole series from the beginning! I could see and understand each character clearly and root for them individually-even without the previous books of context. I find this to be a remarkable writing feat, the fact that I completely understood these characters and this world without having to have a hundred pages of exposition, is pure skill.
Vivian Shaw has just earned herself a lifelong fan. I am looking forward to the rest of the series!

Thank you to Orbit and Netgalley for this free copy in exchange for an honest review

oooof a sleeper hit i didn’t expect to enjoy. Greta helsing you will always be famous to me i enjoyed your character that much and i don’t name drop in my reviews