ARC by NetGalley and the publisher.
This review really hurts me to write as I had been so incredibly excited to read this Dracula retelling however personally this one just didn’t work for me. The biggest issue I had was with the amount of POV changes and timelines, it made for a very disjointed and confusing pros to follow. I didn’t mind Lucy‘s POV to much, especially when she is narrating and with her therapist but I just could not handle the dullness of Iris’s chapters. I was personally also hoping for a bit more Gothic vibes and elements as well with this book despite it being a more modern approach to Dracula’s story. I do appreciate where the author was going with the humorous element and idea of a vampire MLM. However I could not get past the drastically off pacing which made it incredibly hard to connect with these characters which for me is crucial to my overall enjoyment of a book. Sadly as said I just had wishes for me with this book.

Lucy Undying comes out September 10th, 2024.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing, Ballentine for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

3.25★

The premise of the book sounded exciting and the twist on Stroker's Dracula caught my attention. And, it also used multiple povs which I personally liked. Unfortunately, the book wasn't able to meet my expectations. I think the story progression was dragging and the use of multiple povs wasn't well taken advantage of.

Lucy Undying was one of my most anticipated reads for the year - sapphic vampires, women taking on a MLM cult obsessed with blood, and a retelling of the original Dracula story from Lucy's perspective to boot - it was hitting every checkmark for a potentially solid read.

The book started slow, was disjointed between past and present, and it was made even more difficult to follow with Lucy's present POV vs her past POV vs her POV in therapy vs Iris's POV (why does one character have three POVs!?). It made the story so difficult to keep track of and I kept getting pulled out of it having to go back and figure out whose chapter I was reading and in what time period.

I hit my DNF wall at one point only to turn the page and be reeled back in at the 50% mark just to quickly lose that momentum again at 70% but at that point I felt like I was in too deep and owed it to myself to at least try and power through. I finished the book but I'm not proud of that achievement.

This book went on forever.
Lucy - a teenager in love with her governess. Mina desperately hopes to marry well. Lucy tries to stay out her courting gentlemen clutches.
Elle - tells her story to Vanessa. The years struggling to be a vampire and have purpose.
Iris just wants to live her life, struggling against the confines of her family's legacy and cult.

Oh Lucy, Lucy Lucy. How I love you.

This is one of those books that I wish never ended. It was very long and some times I feel a dread when I see those page numbers tick up, but in this case I never wanted it to finish. There is so many different stories jammed and intertwined into this book that at no point was I not entertained or invested with what was happening.

While this story was mostly Lucy’s, it was also Iris’s. We have two POV’s, but for a good half of the book the Lucy’s POV is from 100+ years ago. We get to walk through her entire life but we also get some chapters that are her in present day telling the story to a counselor. I loved that with the dual POV’s of Lucy and Iris, it was almost like 3 different points of view in total. Oh and of course, Dracula’s POV.

I love spins on Dracula’s wives and this book is no different. It was SO GOOOOOOOD. I loved the different things that the vampires could do in this story and also getting to see the inner workings of Dracula’s mind.

I love the cult spin to all of this a well. The old house, the memories that it held, the adorable gay couple that Iris connects with while in England. Everything about this book was just perfect and I have zero negative things to say about it. READ IT! READ IT NOW!

DNF at 15%.

This story really has potential, and I think for the right audience it'll be great. It just wasn't for me. I liked that it's told piecemeal across journal entries, transcripts, and regular narration.

Of the 3 POVs, there was one that I just wasn't interested in and loathed to return to. While I applaud the author for managing to make the POVs feel distinct, the narration style for Iris (the modern character) feels juvenile and hard to sit through, especially compared to the lush gothic tones in Lucy's narration. Iris's story just doesn't make sense to me in this plot, and it makes the whole thing feel like it's trying too hard to combine elements that don't fit well together.

I think some will love it, and if you're into stories that feel wildly different depending on whose POV you're following, you might give it a try. Don't go into it expecting it to be solely of the gothic vampire genre, because that's only one part of the picture.

Thanks to Netgalley and Del Rey for the ARC!

4.25 stars!!!

I love love love a dracula retelling and this completely flipped the script in the best way possible aka Sapphic Vampire + star-crossed lovers from different times (does this count???). Kiersten White brought Lucy to life in a way that Stoker couldn't (and let's face it, probably wouldn't even if given the chance). Lucy's arc and overall journey was so interesting and I wish we could've had more details about her time with her various companions. I would read a novella with backstories about the Queen, the Lover, and the Doctor in a heartbeat.
I loved the inclusion of transcripts and journal entries however, I wish we would have had either more or less. They tapered off quickly towards the end but it didn't feel as intentional as I'm sure it was intended to be. I was not expecting to have multiple POVs and it definitely threw me off a little with the first transcript entry. Although, I did appreciate that each POV had it's own distinct voice.
Overall I loved the pacing and storytelling within this novel. The plot was interesting and kept me hooked. Anytime I had to put this down I was just waiting for the next time I could pick it up!
Everything above aside, if you like sapphic vampires, mlms, and dracula then pick this up in two weeks!!

Thank you NetGalley and Random House for an E-Arc of Lucy Undying.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4!

This book has an intriguing premise. Told in three primary POVs/timelines, this novel is an alternate retelling of Dracula focusing on Lucy Westenra. Pretty much the full cast of Stoker’s classic novel appear, although their characterization and relationship dynamics are quite different. In one timeline, Lucy’s journal from the 1800s, we see the events unfold leading up the time in which she is turned by Dracula, including her unrequited pining for Mina. A second timeline, also narrated by Lucy, follows Lucy’s experiences as a vampire as told to her therapist in 2024. The final timeline, narrated by Iris, the heir of the Goldaming vampire wellness MLM empire, slightly later in 2024, explores her attempts to escape from her family’s influence and power after her mother’s death, all while falling for the mysterious Elle.

I really enjoyed the first half of this novel and the second half of this novel, but not so much the two together, if that makes sense. The first half of the novel was the gothic novel I was expecting, and I enjoyed reading a very different take on the plot of Dracula. The second half of the novel focused on trying to take down the vampiric MLM company, which was fascinating and entertaining, but was very different in tone, style, and pacing than the earlier half of the novel. It almost felt like two different books, despite following the same characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC of this novel!

Lucy Undying is an unexpectedly tender and horrific modern retelling of Bram Stoker’s Dracula from the POV of one of Dracula’s numerous brides, Lucy. However it goes beyond a retelling by breathing life into a tormented, misunderstood character. There is redemption, healing, growth, and love.

White carefully deposits over 150 years of Lucy Westenra’s life, using journal entries, letters, and transcripts, into Iris’s present day battle with her family’s legacy. It can become a bit tedious and confusing AT FIRST, because the story isn't laid out linearly. It's up to the reader to pay attention and piece together events.

The amalgamation of Lucy's fierce loyalty and Iris’s stubborn resilience create the perfect alliance to take down an unstoppable force: Dracula.

My only critique is this novel feels like it could be a bit shorter and accomplish the same goals. Some parts of the plot felt repetitive.

If you're a fan of anything in the realm of Dracula, I'd recommend giving this a try. And as someone who has never read Stoker's Dracula, I still found this to be a compelling and enjoyable story.

Posted on 8/26/24:
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𝑳𝒖𝒄𝒚 𝑼𝒏𝒅𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒈
𝔟𝔶:

𝓢𝓶𝓪𝓵𝓵 𝓑𝓵𝓾𝓻𝓫: A vampire escapes the thrall of Dracula and embarks on her own search for self-discovery and true love!

𝓠𝓾𝓸𝓽𝓮: “Oh, dear. You're lost. I can see it in your face. I know, because I've been lost for so long. You get used to it. Time isn't a line. It's a bottomless pit we throw more and more of ourselves into until we're swallowed completely. Everything is still happening, has never happened, will always be happening, hasn't happened yet. I walk with the ghosts of everyone I've ever been, and I don't know which I am, or if I'm one of the dead that haunts me.” - Lucy Westenra

𝓕𝓪𝓿𝓸𝓻𝓲𝓽𝓮 𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓻𝓪𝓬𝓽𝓮𝓻: Iris! I love her wit and banter! She’s such a good person despite her upbringing. She is so selfless and smart, I just want to be her friend!

𝓦𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓘 𝓛𝓲𝓴𝓮𝓭: Multiple pov’s, banter, vampire cult, dual timelines! Sapphic romance! Short/quick chapters. This book has it all and I enjoyed it so so much!

𝓦𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓘 𝓓𝓲𝓭𝓷’𝓽 𝓛𝓲𝓴𝓮: Towards the middle I hit a few chapters that almost started to lose me, just didn’t seem extremely relevant… but since the chapters are so short I got through that and loved the rest. It could have just been my mood at the time because I truly loved everything about it, especially the ending.

I absolutely recommend this book! It’s been quite a while since I was into a vampire book, and I’m so glad this one hit the spot.

𝑳𝒖𝒄𝒚 𝑼𝒏𝒅𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒈
𝑅𝑒𝓁𝑒𝒶𝓈𝑒𝓈 𝒮𝑒𝓅𝓉𝑒𝓂𝒷𝑒𝓇 𝟣𝟢𝓉𝒽

Thank you to Random House, NetGalley and Kiersten White for this digital ARC copy!

Reviews will be posted to my Instagram (bookbenderwitch)
Amazon, Goodreads and Barnes and Noble

DNF @ 10%

Too much internal dialogue, almost no actual dialogue, and weird lore.
Was really excited for this arc but unfortunately it missed the mark for me.

*Lucy Undying: A Dracula Novel* by Kiersten White is the perfect book to kick off the autumn season! It’s vampy, it’s queer, and I’m absolutely here for the ride. Lucy Westenra, once a tragic figure in Dracula’s story, now takes center stage in a thrilling and emotional journey through twenty-first-century London. Her connection with Iris, a woman also desperate to break free from her past, is intense, mesmerizing, and beautifully written. Their blossoming love, set against the backdrop of sinister family secrets and Dracula’s relentless pursuit, had me hooked from start to finish.

I devoured this book, loving every twist, turn, and moment of vampire romance. It was such a delectable read that I couldn’t resist preordering a physical copy for my bookshelf. The blend of gothic horror with a fresh, modern twist was deliciously captivating, making *Lucy Undying* a must-read for any vampire romance lover. I loved it so much—I just couldn’t put it down!

#LucyUndying #Dracula #NetGalley

Lucy Undying is like Interview with the Vampire but with a therapist. And boy does she tell the therapist a lot! Lucy gets absolutely screwed by Mina, all her suitors, and is all too happy to fall into the arms of Dracula to end it all. Except, he turns her. We follow Lucy across 130 years of debauchery in her attempt to find her purpose & protect her first love Mina. We also follow Iris, a moody young woman attached to a ruthless family with an MLM empire with tons of secrets. Timelines converge and characters cross paths...you get the idea.

Overall I really enjoyed this book. The writing is solid and atmospheric as I would expect from Kiersten. The beginning was everything gothic and mysterious that I love about vampire books. Lucy & Iris are memorable characters, their humor and chemistry were so believable. I loved that our narcissistic Dracula and Mina were mere side characters that are tossed aside. The only thing that just didn't fit for me was the MLM pyramid scheme aspects of the plot. It seemed thematically jarring against the gothic sapphic romance plot. I think I would've preferred something else to take its place, but I'm not sure what. That said, the psychological allegories in this book were top notch and delightfully Freudian (three side characters were very clearly the Id, the Ego, and the Superego representations of Lucy's journey through self discovery). If you want a modern take on Dracula where the girl vampire gets the girl, look no further.

Lucy Undying: A Dracula Novel
by Kiersten White
Pub Date: Sep 10 2024

Her name was written in the pages of someone else’s story: Lucy Westenra was one of Dracula’s first victims.

But her death was only the beginning. Lucy rose from the grave a vampire and has spent her immortal life trying to escape from Dracula’s clutches—and trying to discover who she really is and what she truly wants.

Her undead life takes an unexpected turn in twenty-first-century London, when she meets another woman, Iris, who is also yearning to break free from her past. Iris’s family has built a health empire based on a sinister secret, and they’ll do anything to stay in power.

Lucy has long believed she would never love again. Yet she finds herself compelled by the charming Iris while Iris is equally mesmerized by the confident and glamorous Lucy. But their intense connection and blossoming love is threatened by outside forces. Iris’s mother won’t let go of her without a fight, and Lucy’s past still has fangs: Dracula is on the prowl once more.

Lucy Westenra has been a tragically murdered teen, a lonesome adventurer, and a fearsome hunter, but happiness has always eluded her. Can she find the strength to destroy Dracula once and for all, or will her heart once again be her undoing?

LUCY UNDYING is the queer contemporary dark paranormal tale centering Lucy Westenra I hadn't realized I wanted so much until Lucy and Iris Goldaming found each other in Kiersten's tale.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House - Ballantine for the eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a unique take on Dracula and it was a fascinating read.

Lucy Undying: A Dracula Novel follows three different viewpoints - mainly Lucy Westenra, one of the "brides" of Dracula who ventures out on her own and learns to live a life as a vampire on her own while discovering the world as it changes, trying to continually protect her beloved, and go on a journey of self discovery. The second character viewpoint we see is Iris Goldaming, an heiress of wellness cult and someone who seems to have more knowledge of the supernatural than she should. Occasionally we also get a glimpse into Dracula's viewpoint and his mind is just as eerie as you would believe.

The way Kiersten White weaves a thriller and mystery together was incredibly well done. *Completely a me problem as a reader,* but I found the layout of the chapters, such as the switching viewpoints from diary entry, to therapy transcript, to current character day, to letters to be a little jarring. Especially since the diary entries or therapy transcripts didn't coincide with what was happening in the current day chapters. For example Iris discovers Lucy's diary and is reading entries, but you're already 10 entries ahead by the time Iris discovers the diary. This made me pick up and put down the book a lot, however, I stayed interested in the story. I was invested to see how White would weave together all the pieces of the story.

I have loved Dracula stories and I have to say this was definitely an original. It evolved some characters. Introduced new ones. Altered some story lines - but kept the heart of why people fell in love vampire stories and made it new.

I’ve been wanting to read more vampire themed books and this was the perfect book to start off with.
This book was an absolute work of art!!!! I love how it does Bram Stoker’s Dracula justice and I like how it stuck to journal entries like how the other book was. The journal entries take us on an adventure about Lucy and how she came to be a vampire.
Very well written and very captivating story.

I will definitely be purchasing a physical copy to have on my shelf and will be recommending this to everyone I know!!!

this is the best vampire novel I have read hands down. there's slow burn, there's romance, there's gore, there's blood, there's kicking the patriarchy in the nads and kissing your girl in the same breath. I fell in love with White's Hides and now I've fallen further in love.

I was hoping for another feminist retelling of a classic Western story, and this didn’t disappoint! Loved the new take on Lucy’s story, as well as the expansion during her quest. The mystery, the horror, the TWIST - all of it was immaculate. A couple of small things could’ve been done a little cleaner, but in the grand scheme it was everything I wanted. I’m also obsessed with this interpretation of Dracula, especially near the end. 4.5/5 stars!

We have another great reimagining of a classic gothic novel from Kiersten White! I loved Lucy Undying! This book is such a wonderful twist on Bram Stoker’s classic vampire novel, Dracula!

Lucy Undying centers around one of Dracula’s victims, Lucy Westenra, and features sapphic romance, great gothic writing, and plenty of vampires!

Following both the past and the present, the story is mostly a dual POV, switching between our main characters Lucy and Iris. I really enjoyed reading both perspectives, but I especially loved the Lucy chapters! Lucy is my favorite character in the novel, she is so funny (I actually laughed out loud while reading some of her lines), strong, and relatable!

Kiersten White’s writing is beautiful and so wonderful. This book has so many hard-hitting lines! Lucy’s journal entries were especially gorgeously written and at times so heartbreaking.

Dracula has always been my favorite work of classic gothic literature, but this book made me rethink the way I view the novel. I love the fact that Lucy Undying gives Lucy more agency and control over her own story!

I highly recommend Lucy Undying to fans of Dracula, vampires, and gothic literature!