This was one of my most anticipated fall reads for this year, but sadly it was nearly a miss for me. While I love this author’s books normally, this one was just ok. Actually, that’s not entirely true, as I really loved the first 60% or so before the story line changed somewhat and new POVs were introduced.

I LOVED that Lucy Westenra got her own story! Her character development was superb and I loved that she gets to discover what real love is. Iris’ character is also very well done and I adored her rebellious nature. The portion of this book that develops these characters and their love story was close to perfection and I was fully engaged with that story.

But then the narrative shifts and other POVs are brought in to delve into the mystery of Goldaming Life and that is where I started to struggle with finishing this book. I was not invested in that story line and honestly had to force myself to finish the book.

I didn't care about any of the characters. Iris is such a frustrating character. Nothing that she does makes any sense; it is just convenient for the plot for the things to happen, And that meet cute was just so contrived.

I hated the writing style as well. I couldn't the characters's voices.

Thank you Netgalley, author, and publisher for the ARC.

Thank you NetGalley and Del Rey for the e-arc!
Sapphic vampires??? Sign me right up! Not only is this a Dracula retailing, but it is also a Dracula retelling focused on his most famous victim, Lucy, and her escape from Dracula and current life. I immediately knew I was going to love this book; with a Gothic atmosphere in a retelling focused on an untold perspective, this book bring so much to the table. We follow Lucy in the present day as she meets Iris and immediately feels a connection. We get to see her struggle and exploration into immortal life as well as her journey to be truly free from Dracula. Full of twists and turns, this is an unbelievable read for the fall season.

This book started out slow for me in the beginning but quickly picked up. I absolutely adored every aspect of it and was constantly thinking about it even when I wasn’t reading it.
The detail within this book was amazing and the writing style flowed beautifully.
I loved how many twists and turns there were throughout the book and I never guessed any of them!
The story of Lucy is a sad one, but also empowering and beautiful. The ending was amazing and I was so happy with it.
I definitely want to read more of Kiersten’s work after this!

This is hard one to review since I've absolutely adored all of Kiersten White's other books and this one just didn't blow me away to the same degree. However, this IS the Lucy-centric novel I've always wanted (and that she deserved), and that counts for a good deal. Iris was unfortunately pretty immature and annoying, and I didn't really understand the appeal. I loved the historical vampire friendship (?) segments and wish they'd been more of the focus.

⋆⋆⋆¾ — i don't really have a lot to say about this. not one of my favorite reads, but not too bad either. i really liked lucy's character in the therapist tapes. lucy of the diary was whatever, until iris's analysis of it. although i never truly connected with iris, through her, it was easy to understand all of lucy's layers, quite surprisingly.

the pacing prevented me from actually enjoying the concept, which was very unique (pyramid scheme where everyone at the top gets turned into a vampire. brilliant). the first half of the book was just establishing the setting and the characters' circumstances with no action whatsoever (except for lucy's spy arc). the chapter lengths, also, were atrocious. (all of them are like 2-5 pages? why?) and the writing was underwhelming for something that's trying to be a gothic book (i think). instead of being eerie and atmospheric, it's your run of the mill mystery writing.

i'd say this is fun if you don't go in with high expectations (or try to read it in one sitting. because then it gets very annoying.) thank you to netgalley for the advanced copy.

I have to say that I was not a fan of this story loosely based on Bram Stoker’s Dracula. I felt it was too disjointed with the multiple point of views and didn’t really want the reader to go anywhere very quickly. It seemed to try and hit all the vampiric tropes and not successfully. Strangely disappointed, as I really love a good bloodsucking novel.

Thanks to NetGalley and for Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Del Rey for the digital copy in exchange for my review.

This really should've been a series... at least 2 books but could easily turn into 3. This book was sooooo long!! I don't know what it was because I actually enjoyed the story and the characters, but it took me buying the audiobook to help me get through it.

I think what made it seem longer was that at chapter 72 (or thereabouts), it felt like a clear cut ending. But then it continued with the same characters but in a different direction. It really should've gone into book 2 at that point.

Ok, so beyond the length and the need for making into a series of books instead of cramming 3 books into 1... I really liked it!

Dark humor, fantasy, horror, suspense,queer romance,vampires,family drama , a taste of the original Dracula thrown in, excellent character, and world building, and honestly, so much more! This really is worth the read, and once you've finished, you will appreciate what you've read even more.
4⭐️

As always, I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to have an advanced ebook copy (even if it did take me until the book was released to finish lol) in exchange for an honest review.

I received a free eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I requested this because I love Kiersten White, and also I love gothic fiction. Dracula doesn’t hold quite the same place in my heart as Frankenstein, but it’s close. (I can’t remember if I read it in undergrad for British lit, or in grad school for gothic fiction…maybe both?) It’s been a while since I read it, and I confess that Lucy didn’t make much of an impression on me (although I do remember Mina). Here it seems as though she sacrifices herself to Dracula to save Mina, but in the book it’s more like Dracula stalks her on purpose, and then she dies, returns as a vampire and gets killed for good by her fiance and all of her other suitors. Mina and company kill Dracula for good (he did bite her and she was cursed to become a vampire after her death…unless they killed Dracula first), and she and Harker sail off into the sunset. According to the author’s note, White always thought that ending was garbage (I’m paraphrasing), so she envisioned a better one for Lucy. Particularly one where she gets a girlfriend.

Here, Lucy’s in love with Mina, and she’s also still alive in the present day. We start off following three different narratives - Lucy’s journal from the 1890s, Lucy’s present day therapy session (where she’s basically just narrating what happened to her after her first death), and a seemingly unconnected woman named Iris. Iris is the heir to something called Goldamning Life, which sounds like a pyramid scheme because it is. Her mother recently died, and far from being eager for her inheritance, Iris wants nothing more than to give it all away. She’s inherited an old fancy house, and she’s mostly just hoping she can strip it for parts and sell anything of value. She enlists the help of a woman named Elle, whom she meets at the train station, who just happens to work for the history museum, to help her determine if there’s anything valuable. Iris eventually finds Lucy’s diary and feels an immediate connection with the poor girl. She also starts falling for Elle, which is complicated because Iris needs to disappear. Her family has ruined every relationship she’s ever had, and because she really likes Elle, she wants to keep her awful family as far away from this girl as possible.

I enjoyed this ultimately, but it is a tad meandering. As much as I liked all three characters (I’m counting mortal Lucy as separate from vampire Lucy), I wasn’t sure where we were going with all of it. Vampire Lucy is telling her therapist about her quest to find Dracula again, along with all of the other vampires she met who shaped her along the way. Mortal Lucy is just clueless and you kind of want to give her a hug. And Iris is a bit of a mess, but I was fascinated by her awful family and how they connected to all of this. It takes a little too long to get to the point, and then once it does get to the point, it’s a bit of a shrug. Much as I liked Iris and found her story interesting, I think I might have preferred Lucy to take center stage. The stories she tells the therapist are fascinating, and I wish they could have been fleshed out a little more. As it is, they make the plot feel shaggier than it needs to be (but since we do eventually meet all of those characters again once the storylines all converge, we need the background for it to have more impact).

Basically, it’s a lot of fun after a bit of a slow start. If you love gothic horror and queer romance - this will totally be your jam!

Thank you PRH Audio and Bibliolyfestyle for my gifted review copy.

This was a very slow burn. I think the first half, if I didn't listen to it, would have made me DNF the book. There's just a lot of character build, history and telling the story of Lucy. Then we get to the good part. Once the big twist happens, things start moving fast. The story turns dark, and exactly what I wanted from a vampire story - bloody. It is a perfect Dracula story, where Dracula isn't the star, but the dark monster that haunts your dreams. I loved that Dracula wasn't the one being romanticized, but the poor girl Lucy, giving her a different story. Something that she deserved.

This is the year of the Vampires! Lucy undying is gripping and beautifully written. This is a dark gothic romance about Lucy who was one of Draculas first victims who learn her story before she was a vampire and after and than theres Iris who wants nothing to do with her family’s company and her late mothers cult. I love the different POV and this story just kept me so Intrigued. If you’re looking for a Sapphic vampire romance or something to read this witchy season this is definitely for you.

I very much enjoyed this sapphic Dracula retelling. I think my favorite part has to be that at the center of it all is this evil empire that takes the form of an MLM. That was truly the icing on the cake. The last few chapters were absolutely bonkers and I love that in the end, Lucy does find love. The characters that are woven throughout the story also provide a lot of intrigue. Lucy, Iris, The Lover, The Queen and Rahoul were among my favorites. I found myself holding my breath, feeling despair and also laughing at multiple points. This is definitely a book I’d recommend to those who love sapphic, vampires, and modern Dracula reimagining.

I don't know quite what I expected from Lucy Undying, but I feel like this book took some turns I wasn't expecting, but in a good way! First of all, I am a huge fan of mixed media in stories, and I really liked the way it was done here. Iris is living in more contemporary times, but she stumbles upon the titular Lucy's diary in the English house she's just inherited. Seeing the juxtaposition of past and present was great, and I enjoyed the perspective of both characters.

I also was definitely invested in where the story was going, and waiting for the inevitable collision between past and present. The book took some turns that I kind of expected, then it took some turns that I definitely did not see coming, so that was fun! There were some points that the book felt a wee bit longer than perhaps was necessary? But that is a minor gripe, because overall it was really solid. There's great commentary, intense twists, and tons of secrets to unearth. I also loved the therapy rep, definitely didn't expect that in a book about old timey vampires, but I will absolutely take it!

Bottom Line: Really enjoyed the characters and the twists in this unique take on the Dracula tale!

I love the cover and the synopsis sounded really good. I also really like this author. However the pacing was really slow and if I had not skimmed it would have becime a dnf. I really struggled to get into it and the characters. I guess it just was not for me.

A captivating story imagined out of traditional Dracula retellings, Lucy Undying by Kiersten White explores and expands the life of Lucy Westenra, one of Dracula's early victims. Following three different timelines, we see Lucy’s story unfold as a human through her journals, as a vampire through her own retelling, and in the present through the eyes of Iris—another woman whose life is tied to Dracula in complex ways. Beautifully written and full of surprising twists, Lucy Undying weaves together a great story of empowerment, self-discovery, and above all, love.

❤️ What I loved: White’s writing is a real strength in this novel, and thought this book contained some beautifully written passages that made the experience of reading thoroughly enjoyable. I loved Lucy and her journey of self-discovery as we saw it through both her own eyes and others. The sapphic yearning and romance were the icing on the cake that kept me coming back for more.
💔 What I didn’t love: I think some reviews will find this book a bit winding and the pacing a bit slow. Personally, I didn’t feel this too much, but there were times when I felt “ahead” of the story and wanted the story to catch up in all of the timelines.

Fans of vampire stories, queer stories, and stories about finding your own power will find a lot to like about Lucy Undying. I would definitely recommend this book to fans of the TV adaptation of Interview with a Vampire and the way it embraces the queerness of vampire lore.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 (4.0-4.5)

Acknowledgments & Disclaimers ✨ Thank you to NetGalley, Kiersten White, and Random House Publishing/Ballentine/Del Rey, for providing an ARC and the opportunity to share an honest review of this book. ✨ All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. ✨ My reviews and ratings strive to evaluate books within their own age-demographic and genre.

Had a bit of a slow start, but by around 20% in I was fully invested in the "ditzy vampire does therapy" vibe and I was spitballing increasingly implausible theories about where the story was going to go. It was such a fun trip.

Iris has spunk! She was my favorite character (even if I’m not a fan of “calm your tits) her email at the end was one of my favorite moments.

Even though I have not read Dracula I was able to enjoy Lucy Undying. I do wish I read Dracula first just for me but I am very glad it’s not required.

Lucy Undying seemed like the type of book that would be right up my alley. The description and cover drew me in, and I had just read Dracula earlier this year. The beginning of the book started off strong. I really love this retelling of Lucy's character. Unfortunately I wasn't able to finish this book. I put a lot of time into it, but it was just too long and slow. For an almost 500 pages book, I would expect the plot to be quicker and have more substance. I think three POVs was too much. I enjoyed that parts with Lucy, especially after she becomes a vampire, but Iris's story was not picking up for me. I'd be a little disappointed seeing that an Iris chapter was up next, because I enjoyed the Lucy ones much more. I stopped reading around 30%. I might finish it at some point, but right now it just felt too long and daunting for me.

Set between different POV’s from modern day to the 1800 century, we first learn about and meet Lucy Westenra. She was one of Dracula’s first victims and spent a majority of her time as a vampire in his clutches. We also learn and meet Iris, who is a part of the Goldaming family. The more the story goes on, the more you realize certain commonalities between them are connected.

It took a bit to get used to the different POVs as one was Iris, one was Lucy in present day, and one was Lucy’s therapists records which mainly take place hundreds of years ago. Although incredibly atmospheric and fluid at points, especially with the chapters dealing with Lucy after she was turned & her diary, there was a big chunk in the middle of the book that *dragged*. It took me an extra week to finish 🫠 Overall I enjoyed the romance a lot, the relationships, and the whitty/dramatic side characters. Iris’s chapters always made me giggle; I love her thought process, banter, and how she uses humor to deal with the trauma of her family. I loooved Lucy’s vampire besties. If you want a gothic sapphic vampire romance with touches of humor, this is definitely for you!

4 stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you @netgalley @delreybooks and @authorkierstenwhite for the ARC 🖤 This beauty releases on 9/10!

This was FANTASTIC. I haven't read the original Dracula, but I'm more interested than ever to go back and see these characters in their original light.
It's absolutely heartbreaking to see how everyone around Lucy treats her so horribly and they control everything until she really had no autonomy. Walking through life with her and seeing her slowly find herself, with the help of others, is so beautiful. And seeing that reflection in Iris as well is just incredible. I was completely gripped on the horror of it all!