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!

I've read a few of Kiersten White's books, enough to know she's not a fast-paced author where you're flying by the seat of your pants through the story. The first chapter didn't captivate me, so I had to force myself through the first few, which felt a bit disjointed at first with 3 POVs and not a clear indication of who's we were getting. However, once I got a little further in and realized what White was doing, my interest was further piqued. I liked Lucy's therapy transcripts to fill in her past, but it wasn't enough to hold my attention.

I'll admit, I requested this book without reading the blurb, or at least reading it too closely. I saw Kiersten White's name, the cover, and "Dracula Novel" and requested it so fast. Although when it came time to reading it, I wasn't expecting or in the mood for a sapphic romance, which put me off to that aspect of the story. Other parts felt flat and rather convoluted, although there are plenty of Classics that I feel similarly about (ie. Frankenstein wandering the mountains complaining for an entire chapter), so perhaps White is attempting to emulate that older style in her retelling? I can't say.
While I didn't "love" this book, it's definitely worth a try if you're into sapphic romances and classic literature reimaginings and are okay with a slower pace. As expected, White has beautiful prose and all the vibes.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Lucy Undying is a masterful mysterious gothic tale full of secrets that are supposed to stay buried. A wild ride of romance, betrayal, and lies that unfolds over the span of 130 years.

🖤 Dracula Retelling
🖤Sapphic Romance
🖤Multiple POV
🖤Vampires
🖤Self Discovery

Lucy has lead many different lives, it bounces between her life before she was turned into a vampire by Dracula and after. You get a glimpse of her human past through journal entries from her diary. It showcases her love for Mina her governess and her many suitors who want to propose. Her life as a vampire is told through her therapist’s transcripts. These are tales of her life with the wives, the queen, the doctor, the lover, as the spy, and always searching for answers to existential questions. She is in constant search for a place in the world, to be loved, seen, and understood. She’s on a timeless journey of self discovery. Using her afterlife to search for Dracula to ask him why her? With her obsession and love for Mina shaping it.

Present day is when Iris meets Lucy. Told through multiple POVs. Iris finds Lucy’s diary in a home her mother owned. She realizes she has a lot in common with Lucy while reading her journal. They both want an escape and to be seen, they are kindred spirits. Iris has so much love and affection for Lucy as she reads about her past life. She wants to show Lucy that she deserves to be loved.

“We use other people like mirrors, projecting our feelings onto them, looking for our reflections.”

Iris has her secrets too…a family legacy that made a deal with the devil. That will all unfold and I don’t want to spoil anything. The past has finally caught up with the present and they collide. It seems like fate has brought Iris and Lucy together and they end up on their own journey together to find love and Dracula…

“Forever is composed of nows, and I’ve been unbound by time long enough to know our now is perfect. Imagine me living in it forever, and I’ll imagine you the same way.”

Lucy Undying is a Dracula re-telling that focuses on Lucy Westerna. In the source material, Lucy had all the makings of a FMC, she was young, beautiful, and from a wealthy family. But alas for all her being demure and mindful, she was relegated to a tragic side character, destroyed by the very people who should have prevented her demise. In Kiersten White’s re-telling, Lucy starts the same sweet, demure, and naive to the evil surrounding her, but instead of exiting stage left, she thrives as an undead creature searching for her maker and searching for meaning to her existence. We follow in her journey of growth and self-discovery. Along the way, she meets Iris. Iris whose background mirrors her own. She finds an intense connection, a kindred soul in Iris. What follows is a roller coaster of a story that spans centuries and comes to a heart-pounding climax as Lucy faces her past. She must decide if she is willing to pay the price to finally end Dracula once and for all.

To be completely honest I was a little lost the first few chapters of the book, but I eventually found my groove and found myself enjoying the story. It started a bit slow but ramped up to a compelling and intriguing story I could not put down. The book introduces interesting characters that mold Lucy into the badass b she becomes, a far cry from where she came from, no longer alone, no longer lost.

The cover is absolutely stunning. When I saw the cover reveal, I could not apply for the eARC fast enough. I was so thrilled to have been approved for the early copy for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Random House, and Del Rey Books for the opportunity to review this book.

3.5

NGL, the cover is what sold me on this book. SHES GORG.

I'm a vampire girl through and through and was so excited to pick this one up. This follows Lucy, a wife of Dracula, and how she navigates her immortal life. The story is told in 3 POVs: Lucy's journal entry, Therapy Transcriptions and Iris' modern day POV. This book was an enjoyable read, even if the povs could be a little jarring as you get used to them. I loved the queer aspect and sexual explorations that Lucy goes through. Watching her journey was really interesting to me. I wanted a bit more from the pacing, some parts felt like they were dragging while others went by very quickly. While I really enjoyed Lucy's POVs, I really struggled with Iris's. I think if she was a little more developed, I definitely would have rated this higher.

Overall, if you love vampires, I do think this is worth the read!

Thank you Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have always really enjoyed Kiersten White’s books and this one is no different, and it has vampires! I was so excited when I saw that I received the arc for it. I love the way that this book is written with short alternating POV chapters. It was easy to get sucked into the story and I sped through it. This was a wonderful spin on the Dracula tale!

I really liked the concept of the book and the writing style. Very slow paced though and I found myself taking lots of breaks to finish. I think there are people who will love this book very much but I do not think it was for me.